Beech V35B accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, December 3, 1984
On December 3, 1984 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N6737L, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Petersburg, Florida (Clearwater airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 3, 1984 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida · Clearwater
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6737L · no longer on the register · serial D10337
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT RECEIVED SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE TO ENTER TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING AND WAS ADVISED TO DESCEND TO 1600 FT AND CONTACT TOWER FOR LANDING. PLT INITIATED DESCENT, LOWERING GEAR TO INCREASE DESCENT RATE AND RECEIVED LANDING CLEARANCE WHILE MANUVERING TO REMAIN CLEAR OF FOG PATCHES. PLT THEN NOTED ALTIMETER READING OF 200-300 FT, APPLIED POWER BUT FAILED TO ARREST THE DESCENT. ACFT COLLIDED WITH WATER.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,631 hours in all; 706 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 1,631 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 767 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL
- Destination: PIE St.Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,990 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:28 pm from PIE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.