Beech V35B accident near Colquitt, Georgia, October 1, 1989
On October 1, 1989 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N4277A, was destroyed in an accident near Colquitt, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN CURRENT ENROUTE WEATHER INFORMATION FOR HIS DESTINATION RESULTING IN HIS FLYING VMC INTO IMC CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN HIS COLLISION WITH POWERLINES WHILE MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A ROAD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1989 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Colquitt, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4277A · no longer on the register · serial D9249
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT RECEIVED WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PLT ADDITIONALLY RECEIVED CURRENT WEATHER AT TALLAHASSEE ENROUTE. PLT DID NOT GET UPDATE WEATHER FOR DESTINATION ENROUTE. NINE MILES FROM DESTINATION FLT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLT REVERSED COURSE AND AGAIN ENCOUNTERED IMC. WHILE AT 500 FEET IN A ONE MILE DIAMETER HOLE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A ROAD. ON APPROACH TO THE ROAD THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A POWERLINE SEVERING THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR. ON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH. THE PILOT REPORTED ON THE NTSB ACCIDENT REPORT FORM THAT HIS LAST BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW WAS 27 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 490 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 1988; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Ft. Lauderdale FL at 12:00 pm
- Destination: MAI Marianna FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.