Beech 35 accident near Leesburg, Florida, January 29, 1994
On January 29, 1994 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N599LG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S POOR EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER AND FAILURE TO REMAIN IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH WATER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 1994 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N599LG · no longer on the register · serial 8920
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, ON BASE LEG TO FINAL LEG, THE PILOT LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED LOW LEVEL FOG. THE AIRPLANE THEN CONTINUED THE DESCENT AND CRASHED INTO A LAKE.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,023 hours in all; 1,440 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 2,023 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,414 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 1993; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 1:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ORL, 34 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.