Beech K35 accident near Fitzgerald, Georgia, May 6, 1983
On May 6, 1983 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Beech K35, registered N9526R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fitzgerald, Georgia (Fitzgerald Muni. airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1983 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fitzgerald, Georgia · Fitzgerald Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N9526R · registry record · serial D-6157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD OFF THE AIRPORT AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL DURING A GO- AROUND. THE PILOT WHO WAS BEING CHECKED OUT IN THIS ACFT BY AN INSTRUCTOR WAS TRAINED IN A C-172 WHICH HAS DIFFERENCES IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THESE PECULIARITIES WERE DISCUSSED BY CFI AND THE PRIVATE PILOT BEING INSTRUCTED. DURING AN APPROACHFOR ONE OF THE LANDINGS THE CFI TOLD THE PILOT TO GO-AROUND. AT ABOUT 300 FT THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SAID HE SWITCHEDTHE FUEL SELECTOR TO ANOTHER TANK. DURING THE LANDING MADE BY THE CFI THE NOSE GEAR DUG IN AND SEPARATED. THE INVESTIGATION SHOWED BOTH MAIN TANKS FULL AND THE AUXILLIARY TANKS NEARLY EMPTY. A DECAL WARNS AGAINST USING THE AUXILLIARY TANKS IN OTHER THAN LEVEL FLT. THE 'BOTH' POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE CESSNA 172 CORRESPONDS TO THE AUXILLIARY POSITION IN THIS ACFT. THE ENGINE OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT WAS STARTED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT WITH THE SELECTOR ON LEFT MAIN TANK POSITION. ALL SYSTEMS CHECKED NORMAL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,667 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1983; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FZG Fitzgerald GA at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.