Beech N35 accident near Athens, Ohio, February 21, 1985
On February 21, 1985 at about 3:05 pm local time, a Beech N35, registered N1500U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Ohio (Ohio University Airport). 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 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
- February 21, 1985 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Ohio · Ohio University Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N1500U · no longer on the register · serial D6630
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING ONE HOUR OF AIRWORK THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR A SHORT FIELD LANDING. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE STUDENT LOWERED THE GEAR ON DOWNWIND. HE STATED FURTHER THAT THEY BOTH CHECKED THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR ON BASE LEG AND FINAL APPROACH AND THE INDICATOR SHOWED GEAR DOWN BOTH TIMES. DURING THE FLARE THE GEAR WARNING HORN SOUNDED AND THE INSTRUCTOR NOW SAW THAT THE GEAR INDICATOR NOW SHOWED GEAR UP. POWER WAS ADVANCED BUT THE AIRCRFT SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY AND STOPPED STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE GEAR COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT AND NO MALFUNCTIONS COULD BE FOUND.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 290 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,492 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 1984; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UNI at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:05 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.