Beech B-35 accident near East Haddam, Connecticut, April 5, 1985
On April 5, 1985 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Beech B-35, registered N3082V, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Haddam, Connecticut (Goodspeed airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- April 5, 1985 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- East Haddam, Connecticut · Goodspeed
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-35 · all B-35s on the register
- Registration
- N3082V · registry record · serial D-497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT STALLED AND CONTACTED SANDY TERRAIN APRX 50 FT FROM THE RWY THRESHOLD. THE PLT REPORTED THE CABIN DOOR OPENED DURING TAKEOFF AND HE CIRCLED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LAND AND CLOSE THE DOOR. HE STATED AN AIRSPEED OF 100 KTS WAS OBSERVED ON A 1 MILE FINAL AT WHICH TIME THE THROTTLE WAS REDUCED. (NORMAL APCH SPEED IS 80 KTS.) SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRSPEED WAS NOTED BETWEEN 90-95 KTS AT WHICH TIME THE PLT ALSO NOTICED A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND A 'SLUGGISHNESS' IN THE CONTROLS. THE DESCENT WAS CONTINUED AT 85 KTS UNTIL 200 YRDS FRON THE THRESHOLD WHERE FULL FLAPS WERE APPLIED. APRX 100 FT FROM THE RWY, POWER WAS REDUCED TO IDLE AND THE ACFT STALLED.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 23, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DXR Danbury CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,118 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:50 pm
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.