Beech 35-C33 accident near Lake City, Florida, October 1, 1982
On October 1, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech 35-C33, registered N8944U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake City, Florida (Lake City airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 1, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake City, Florida · Lake City
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-C33 · all 35-C33s on the register
- Registration
- N8944U · no longer on the register · serial CD954
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ENROUTE, THE PILOT DIVERTED TO LAKE CITY, FL TO AVOID ADVERSE WEATHER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE PLACED THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE IN THE DOWN POSITION WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. HE EXTENDED THE DOWNWIND TO ACCOMMODATE OTHER TRAFFIC, THEN TURNED BASE AND FINAL WHERE HE COMPLETED THE BEFORE-LANDING CHECKLIST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED WITH THE GEAR IN ITS RETRACTED POSITION. LATER WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED, A MECHANIC ACTIVATED THE ELECTRICAL MASTER SWITCH AND MOVED THE GEAR HANDLE TO THE DOWN POSITION. WHEN HE DID THIS, THE GEAR EXTENDED AND THE 3 GREEN LIGHTS ILLUMINATED.
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: 304 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 229 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,097 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Home Aviaton, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GNV Gainesville FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: GMU Greenville SC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10, 6,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from GNV, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.