Beech J35 accident near Friday Harbor, Washington, October 8, 1982
On October 8, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech J35, registered N3053C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Friday Harbor, Washington (Friday Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- October 8, 1982 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Friday Harbor, Washington · Friday Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech J35 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N3053C · no longer on the register · serial D-5703
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE ENGINE WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE, AND JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION, IT COUGHED AND SPUTTERED. THE TAKEOFF WAS ABANDONED, BUT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT PENETRATED THE PERIMETER FENCE AND CAME TO REST IN A POND. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION OR MECHANICAL FAILURE. HOWEVER, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND TO BE SLIGHTLY MIS-POSITIONED TO WHERE IT WOULD RESTRICT FUEL FLOW. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE FAILED WHILE HE WAS ABORTING.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,364 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,196 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Walla Walla Aircraft Ptnr
The flight
- Departed from: S19 Friday Harbor WA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: ALW Walla Walla WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,235 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.