Cessna 337 B accident near Ocala, Florida, April 13, 2005
On April 13, 2005 at about 5:58 pm local time, a Cessna 337 B, registered N463DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocala, Florida (Ocala International -Jimtaylor airport). It was a personal 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 landing flare during an aborted takeoff, which resulted in a hard landing and damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2005 · about 5:58 pm local time
- Place
- Ocala, Florida · Ocala International -Jimtaylor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337 B · all 337 Bs on the register
- Registration
- N463DA · no longer on the register · serial M337-0325
- 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 during the engine run up check he discovered the rear engine shutdown. He restarted the rear engine, leaned the fuel mixture and performed a magneto check. He taxied to the hold short line for runway 26, then announced his departure on the airport Unicom frequency and positioned the airplane onto the runway. He partially advanced the rear engine throttle and the airplane moved forward. He heard an aircraft reporting final and was not certain if the broadcast was for runway 26 or 36. Not certain for which runway, he advanced both throttles forward. The airplane accelerated to 70 knots and was about 1,000 feet down the runway when he rotated. The airplane lifted off the ground; however the airplane did not accelerate. He glanced inside the cockpit and saw the fuel mixtures were not full forward. He advanced the mixtures and looked outside of the cockpit. The airplane was about 2/3 down and about 100 feet above the runway. He elected to abort the takeoff at that point. He retarded the throttles, selected the flaps full up to get airplane on its wheels, as soon as the wheels touched down, the airplane slammed into the ground at a nose high attitude. He believes the airplane bounced once coming to rest on its nose and propeller in the dirt; about 50 feet from the left edge and 500 feet past the end of the runway. He secured the airplane and exited through the enter door. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident. Runway 26 at the Ocala International Airport is published 3,010 foot long runway.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,621 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-360-d (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-360-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL
- Destination: OCF Ocala FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KOFC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.