- Date
- May 27, 1984, 01:00 local (06:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arnett, OK
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5852CBeech C35
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840527070259A
- Case key
- 21348
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the plt, the wx for his route of flt was forcast to remain VFR. En route, ceilings at 4000 to 5000 ft MSL were encountered in the vicinity of hobart, OK. As the flt continued the wx deteriorated. In order to maintain VFR conditions, the non-instrument rated plt descended to 3200 ft MSL, then to 3000 ft MSL, & changed his destination from woodward, OK, to gage, OK. As the ceiling lowered, the plt slowed the acft to 100 to 120 mph & cruised near an indicated 2500 ft (at night). He thought he was cruising below the clouds at 200 to 300 ft AGL. Subsequently, the acft collided with the terrain in a wings level, flat attitude at a reported elevation of 2473 ft. the wx reporting facilities at gage & hobart had closed at 2100 & 1800 CDT, respectively. Ft sill, OK, reported IFR ceilings of 700 ft overcast with 10 mi visibility. There was no fss record of the plt updating his wx briefing while en route.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5852C
- Reported as
- Beech C35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-2804
- Airframe hours
- 3,300
- Engine
- Continental E-22-8, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John H. Knowles
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 19, 1984 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- 60F · Seymour, TX
- Destination
- WWR · Woodward, OK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 179 total · 110 in this make and model · 116 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 45° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5852C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.