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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2011 · about 2:30 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · Ocala International Airport · cases near this 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 other cases naming the electrical power
- 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 28, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Pertinent Forms and Reports; Summary of Pilot's Interview. | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Reports from Federal Agencies; FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N334J on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft F33 Bonanza 1,008 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES 9,482 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ocala Intl-Jim Taylor Field · nearest airport
- Sarasota/Bradenton International · departed from
- Mercer County · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 985 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,705 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA11CA255.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.