Beech C35 accident near Grain Valley, Missouri, September 8, 1983
On September 8, 1983 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Beech C35, registered N5843C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grain Valley, Missouri (East Kansas City airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- September 8, 1983 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grain Valley, Missouri · East Kansas City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N5843C · no longer on the register · serial D-2795
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS ON FINAL APCH TO LAND, THE ENG QUIT RUNNING & HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RWY. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A VACANT LOT ABOUT 75 FT SHORT & 15 FT BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE END OF THE RWY. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN, IT CONTINUED ACROSS A DITCH, A ROAD, ANOTHER DITCH, WENT THRU A BARBED WIRE FENCE, CONTINUED UP A BANK & STOPPED AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THERE WS APRX 5 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, BUT ONLY ABOUT 3/4 OF A PINT IN THE LEFT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK & THE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE WAS SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK. ALL FUEL LINES WERE INTACT & ALL CONNECTIONS WERE TIGHT. NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SIPHONING WAS FOUND. ALSO, THE ENG RAN SATISFACTORILY DURING AN OPERATIONAL CHECK AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 1,032 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 975 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1982; 149 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 9:10 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,800 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from MKC, 40 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.