Beech 76 accident near Pensacola, Florida, April 16, 1983
On April 16, 1983 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N3711N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Pensacola Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- April 16, 1983 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Pensacola Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N3711N · registry record · serial ME 375
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED AFTER A DOOR OPENED DURING TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL AFTER THE GEAR HAD BEEN RETRACTED THE PILOTS DOOR CAME OPEN. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE ACFT BECAME ERRATIC WITH THEDOOR BANGING AGAINST HIS LEFT ARM & SIDE. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND FAILED TO EXTEND THE GEAR FOR THE LANDING. THE ACFT WAS LANDED GEAR UP. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE GEAR WARNING HORN DID NOT OPERATE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE GEAR WARNING HORN AND LANDING GEAR SYSTEM OPERATED NORMALLY. ALSO THE MANUFACTURER REVEALED THAT THIS ACFT HANDLES QUITE WELL WITH THE DOOR OPEN IN FLT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 153 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 435 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,916 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1G6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Destination: FTY Atlanta GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:17 pm from PNS
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.