Beech 65A-80 accident near Ochopee, Florida, October 12, 1985
On October 12, 1985 at about 4:30 am local time, a Beech 65A-80, registered N8000R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ochopee, Florida. 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
- October 12, 1985 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Ochopee, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65A-80 · all 65A-80s on the register
- Registration
- N8000R · no longer on the register · serial LD177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A NIGHT PLEASURE FLT, BOTH ENGS SURGED AND LOST PWR AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD A TOTAL OF 3 HRS FLT TIME IN THIS TYPE OF ACFT. HE LATER RECANTED HIS STATEMENT & STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER FLOWN THIS TYPE ACFT BEFORE. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE POSITIONED ON THE INBOARD TANKS, THE BOOST PUMP SELECTORS WERE FOUND POSITIONED ON THE OUTBOARD TANKS. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE OUTBOARD TANKS REVEALED THEM TO BE NEARLY FULL. NO DISCERNABLE FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE INBOARD TANKS.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 986 hours in all; 126 in the last 90 days; 774 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,442 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 1:30 am
- Destination: TNT Ochopee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 am from TMB, 21 miles away
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.