Beech V35A accident near Lehigh Acres, Florida, June 28, 1983
On June 28, 1983 at about 11:03 pm local time, a Beech V35A, registered N485B, was destroyed in an accident near Lehigh Acres, Florida (Lehigh Acres West airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- June 28, 1983 · about 11:03 pm local time
- Place
- Lehigh Acres, Florida · Lehigh Acres West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35A · all V35As on the register
- Registration
- N485B · no longer on the register · serial D8709
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE STARTED TO MAKE A GO AROUND AFTER HE REALIZED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE WET RUNWAY. HE FAILED TO GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TREES JUST BEYOND THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY. HE SAID HE LANDED AT THE NORMAL TOUCHDOWN POINT AND ATTRIBUTED HIS FAILURE TO STOP TO HYDROPLANING ON THE WET 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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,020 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 11 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,393 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,000 ft by 400 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from FMY, 9 miles away
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.