Beechcraft J35 N8389D

Summary

On 12 February 2004 at about 04:16 local time, a Beechcraft J35 registered N8389D was involved in an accident near Pensacola, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 February 2004 at 04:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Pensacola, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Pensacola Regional Airport (PNS)

Coordinates

30.6339, -87.3681

Aircraft

Beechcraft J35

Registration

N8389D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

New Smyrna Ba → New Orleans

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ANC04FA021

1 person died.

The pilot's improper decision to conduct flight that exceeded his demonstrated skills/ability. Also causal was his failure to properly execute the instrument approach. Contributing factors were low ceiling, fog, and the pilot's lack of the appropriate certification for the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated solo private pilot filed an IFR cross-country flight plan for a flight along coastal terrain. While en route, the pilot contacted the terminal radar approach control (TRACON) specialist on duty and requested that his IFR flight plan be amended in order to make an unplanned fuel stop. The accident airplane was given priority handling over other arriving aircraft, and was cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach. A review of air-to-ground communications tapes, transcripts, and archived radar data, revealed that the accident pilot was unable to intercept the glide slope and localizer for the ILS approach to runway 17, or to maintain an assigned altitude or heading. The TRACON specialist was attempting to sequence the pilot for a third attempt to the ILS approach for runway 17, when the pilot stated, in part, "I can't, I can't...I've lost it...." No further radio contact was received from the accident airplane, and the airplane disappeared from the TRACON specialist's radar screen. Search crews located the wreckage about 14 miles north-northwest of the airport, in an area of swampy, tree-covered terrain. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were discovered during the investigation. At the time of the accident the reported weather was, in part: Wind, 090 degrees (true) at 10 knots; visibility, 3/4 statute miles with mist; clouds and sky condition, 100 feet overcast; temperature, 55 degrees F; dew point, 55 degrees F; altimeter, 29.98 inHg.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.