Beech S35 accident near Marathon, Florida, March 30, 2014
On March 30, 2014, a 1964 Beech S35, registered N8985M, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Marathon, Florida (The Florida Keys Marathon Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's distraction in the cockpit while on a visual approach over water during a dark night resulting in the airplane descending until impact with the water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2014
- Place
- Marathon, Florida · The Florida Keys Marathon Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35, built 1964 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N8985M · no longer on the register · serial D-7314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded IFR towards the destination airport (The Florida Keys Marathon Airport), Marathon, Florida. He cancelled his IFR clearance, and performed the pre-landing checklist. While on the base leg over water during the dark night, he became distracted by the failure of the landing light. With the landing gear and flaps extended for landing but the power set to 15 inches of manifold pressure, he did not recognize the airplane was descending. When the airplane impacted the water he thought they were at 1,000 feet. He also stated that he attempted to activate the runway lights using the common traffic advisory frequency but stated he could not see them. In hindsight he stated that he must have been too low at that time to see the runway lights. According to the County of Monroe Assistant Director of Airports, the runway lights at The Florida Keys Marathon Airport come on automatically at night and remain on "step 1." Being a 14 CFR Part 139 airport, a complete night inspection is performed each Friday and Monday, and each working day in the morning a continuous inspection is performed on the runway lighting circuit. As noted in the Daily Self Inspection Reports, the airfield runway lights were functioning properly during the course of the weekend and there were no issues with the runway lighting system. The runway end identifier lights for runway 7 were out of service at that time.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Lighting system › Exterior lighting › Malfunction
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X23 Umatilla FL at 10:32 pm
- Destination: MTH Marathon FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 5,008 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from MTH, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.