Beech C35 accident near Arnett, Oklahoma, May 27, 1984
On May 27, 1984 at about 6:00 am local time, a Beech C35, registered N5852C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arnett, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- May 27, 1984 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Arnett, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N5852C · registry record · serial D-2804
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE WX FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLT WAS FORCAST TO REMAIN VFR. EN ROUTE, CEILINGS AT 4000 TO 5000 FT MSL WERE ENCOUNTERED IN THE VICINITY OF HOBART, OK. AS THE FLT CONTINUED THE WX DETERIORATED. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT DESCENDED TO 3200 FT MSL, THEN TO 3000 FT MSL, & CHANGED HIS DESTINATION FROM WOODWARD, OK, TO GAGE, OK. AS THE CEILING LOWERED, THE PLT SLOWED THE ACFT TO 100 TO 120 MPH & CRUISED NEAR AN INDICATED 2500 FT (AT NIGHT). HE THOUGHT HE WAS CRUISING BELOW THE CLOUDS AT 200 TO 300 FT AGL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A WINGS LEVEL, FLAT ATTITUDE AT A REPORTED ELEVATION OF 2473 FT. THE WX REPORTING FACILITIES AT GAGE & HOBART HAD CLOSED AT 2100 & 1800 CDT, RESPECTIVELY. FT SILL, OK, REPORTED IFR CEILINGS OF 700 FT OVERCAST WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY. THERE WAS NO FSS RECORD OF THE PLT UPDATING HIS WX BRIEFING WHILE EN ROUTE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 179 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 116 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1984; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-22-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 60F Seymour TX at 3:45 pm
- Destination: WWR Woodward OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 045° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.