Beech 35 accident near Plymouth, Florida, July 16, 1986
On July 16, 1986 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N417B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Florida (Orlando North airport). It was a personal 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
- July 16, 1986 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Florida · Orlando North
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N417B · registry record · serial D-1423
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT WHEN IT ROTATED EARLY DUE TO THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB BEING SET AT FOUR NOTCHES NOSE UP. THE ACFT THEN STALLED & LANDED HARD COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR. THE PLT FAILED TO USE A CHECKLIST.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 298 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 136 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,944 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 1986; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Orlando County Aircraft
The flight
- Destination: 2X2 Clermont FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,000 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from ORL, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.