Beech F33A accident near Ocala, Florida, April 21, 2011
On April 21, 2011 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N334J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ocala, Florida (Ocala International Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distracted attention due to the electrical system failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2011 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · Ocala International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N334J · registry record · serial CE-1644
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight at 8,000 feet, the airplane lost electrical power. The pilot said he had the airport in sight, so he did not declare an emergency. He stated that he selected the landing gear handle to the down-and-locked position, but he could not recall if the gear position light was illuminated, nor could he remember hearing the landing gear motor. He said he did not use the manual gear extension procedure. On final approach he reduced the engine power, but the engine stayed at full power. He said he was unable to lower the flaps and the airplane touched down fast and bounced. Postaccident examination revealed that the battery was dead. The pilot stated that he was very nervous and distracted by all of the system failures.
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
What happened, in order
- Electrical system malf/failure during enroute (cruise)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › AC generator › alternator › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 972 hours in all; 182 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 729 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2011; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: BLF Bluefield WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 7,463 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 pm from OCF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.