Beech C45H accident near Leesburg, Florida, January 21, 1983
On January 21, 1983 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech C45H, registered N69K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- January 21, 1983 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C45H · all C45Hs on the register
- Registration
- N69K · no longer on the register · serial AF625
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A LAKE DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINES QUIT. THE PIC HAD GONE FOR A LOCAL FLT WITH A PLT/PASSENGER. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF FLT HE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY FUEL. THE ACFT WAS ON AN APPROACH TO RETURN WHEN BOTH ENGINES BEGAN TO CUT OUT. THE ACFT DID NOT MAKE THE RWY AND IMPACTED IN THE LAKE. THE OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE AND WERE PICKED UP BY FISHERMEN. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE. THE ACFT HAD JUST COMPLETED A CROSS-COUNTRY WITH THE SAME PIC AND NO REFUELING WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,575 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,984 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from ORL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.