Beech V35A accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, October 1, 1988
On October 1, 1988 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Beech V35A, registered N8076R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 1, 1988 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35A · all V35As on the register
- Registration
- N8076R · no longer on the register · serial D-8980
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT APRX 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM FORT LAUDERDALE, THE ENG QUIT COMPLETELY & HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE ARPT. WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, HE LANDED NOSE DOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY DUE TO DAMAGE INCURRED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE, AND THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY WITH NO DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINES FROM THE TANK TO THE ENG. FIVE GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE SYSTEM AND THE ENGINE STARTED AND WAS RUN FOR APRX 3 MINUTES. POST ACC EXAM SHOWED THE FUEL GAUGES TO BE INACCURATE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,656 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 2,543 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,789 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from FXE, 10 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.