Beech 76 accident near Ft.Walton Beach, Florida, October 29, 1984
On October 29, 1984 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N38085, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft.Walton Beach, Florida (Hurlburt Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 29, 1984 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ft.Walton Beach, Florida · Hurlburt Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N38085 · no longer on the register · serial ME-384
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ON A MULTIENGINE INSTRUCTIOANL FLT, THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) SIMULATED AN ENG FAILURE BY RETARDING POWER ON THE LEFT ENG. THE STUDENT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RWY. HE RETARDED THE RIGHT ENG POWER & DOVE FOR THE RWY, BUT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD & BOUNCED, COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN & NOSE GEAR. AFTER THE ACFT BOUNCED, THE CFI TOOK CONTROL & COMPLETED THE LANDING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,110 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,287 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1984; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1G6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVPS Eglin Afb FL at 6:15 pm
- Destination: KHRT Ft. Walton Beac FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 9,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from PNS, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.