Beech F35 accident near Mcalpin, Florida, April 27, 2024
On April 27, 2024 at about 1:35 pm local time, a 1955 Beech F35, registered N3880B, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff near Mcalpin, Florida (Little River 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight planning and failure to abort the takeoff at the predetermined decision point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2024 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Mcalpin, Florida · Little River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F35, built 1955 · all F35s on the register
- Registration
- N3880B · registry record · serial D-4133
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and his passenger were preparing for a cross-country flight. After a routine preflight inspection and engine start, the pilot taxied to runway 27, which was 2,644 ft-long and comprised of turf. The grass was “mid height” and wet from the morning dew. The pilot commonly used a “hump” in the runway as a go/no-go decision point, which was about midfield. During the takeoff roll, he scanned his tablet device for speed and noted 47 knots; 52 knots was stall speed, configured. As the takeoff roll continued, he tried to “pop” the airplane off the ground and into ground effect; this attempt was unsuccessful. He realized that the airplane would not become airborne and it departed the end of the runway, collided with a berm, and spun around to a stop. A postaccident fire ensued and the pilot and passenger egressed the airplane without injuries. Despite attempts to extinguish the fire, it progressed and eventually consumed the fuselage. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration reported that the airplane was destroyed. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also reported that performing the “no go” decision at the hump in the runway would have prevented 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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 6,670 hours in all; 326 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 27, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,033 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LNA Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 27, 2,668 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from 24J, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K24J 281335Z AUTO 09006KT 9SM CLR 22/17 A3022 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on June 21, 2024. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Mor - Correction to NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Mor Email Correspondence Between FAA and Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Mor Weather Report 24J | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA197.