Beech B55 accident near Sarasota, Florida, March 28, 1989
On March 28, 1989 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Beech B55, registered N3122W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Gator Creek airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNEVEN RUNWAY CONDITION (SUNKEN SPOT).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1989 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Gator Creek
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B55 · all B55s on the register
- Registration
- N3122W · no longer on the register · serial TC-1633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS TAKING OFF FROM THE ROUGH GRASS PRIVATE STRIP & WAS APCHG 70 MPH, WHEN THE RGT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT THEN VEERED INTO A CANAL WHICH PARALLELED THE RWY. WITNESSES STATED THE RGT GEAR APPEARED TO STRIKE A SUNKEN SPOT ON THE RWY JUST AS THE GEAR COLLAPSED. FAA PSNL EXAMINED THE ACFT & NOTED DAMAGE TO THE GEAR THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE WITNESS OBSERVATIONS. ALL DAMAGE APPEARED TO BE IMPACT RELATED. THE 15-YR-OLD ACFT WITH 3125 AIRFRAME HRS HAD BEEN OPERATING FROM THIS ROUGH STRIP FOR THE PREVIOUS 10 YRS. THE GEAR HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO HEAVIER THAN NORMAL LOADS. THE ACFT HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR AN ANNUAL INSPN IN ABOUT 3 DAYS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 3,800 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1988; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-E2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 60X at 1:45 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from SRQ, 13 miles away
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.