Beech 95-C55 accident near Arcadia, Florida, December 26, 1994
On December 26, 1994 at about 11:30 am local time, a Beech 95-C55, registered N546V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arcadia, Florida (Cmi airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
POOR IN FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT FOR ELECTING TO LAND WITH FOG ON THE AIRSTRIP. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN A FORMAL PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING AND HIS FAILURE TO FULLY APPLY THE BRAKES (NORMAL) AFTER LANDING. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RETRACT THE FLAPS FROM THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION DURING THE ABORTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1994 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Arcadia, Florida · Cmi
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-C55 · all 95-C55s on the register
- Registration
- N546V · no longer on the register · serial TE-165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE TV WEATHER CHANNEL BEFORE DEPARTURE AND FOG WAS NOT MENTIONED NOR DID THE PILOT OBTAIN ANY OTHER WEATHER BRIEFING. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION AIRSTRIP HE CIRCLED SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL LIGHT CONDITIONS IMPROVED. HE LANDED WITH THE FLAPS FULLY EXTENDED, ENCOUNTERED FOG, AND DID NOT FULLY APPLY THE NORMAL BRAKES TO STOP. REALIZING THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO STOP HE APPLIED THROTTLE TO GO AROUND; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT RETRACT THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE BUT COLLIDED WITH A GATE, TREES, THEN THE GROUND.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 11,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,320 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1994; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LEE Leesburg FL at 10:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,552 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 am from FMY, 37 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.