Beech 58 accident near Clearwater, Florida, June 4, 1983
On June 4, 1983, a Beech 58, registered N275ZA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Executive airport). It was a personal 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
- June 4, 1983
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Executive
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N275ZA · no longer on the register · serial TH 402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DIRT MOUND AND TAXIWAY DURING LANDING TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY CAUSED BY HAZE AND THE SETTING SUN THAT HE MISTOOK A WHITE LINE OF SAND AS THE CENTERLINE OF THE RWY. THIS LINE WAS LEFT OF THE RWY AND THE LANDING OFF THE RWY LED TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING NOSE GEAR AND LEFT MAIN GEAR AS THE ACFT STRUCK A DIRT MOUND AND A TAXI WAY. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER THE OTHER GEAR FAILED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,487 hours in all; 717 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 3,061 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 1983; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.