In version 3.5.2.2 (version ID 281b639-6baa1d3-ef66a77-d866f25-f36d45f), under Ubuntu 10.10, Gnome 2.32 :
CTRL+F or "search" in editing menu leads to crash Writer. Writer becomes grey and either closes or hangs. I must exit by pressing "X" on the upper right corner of the windows.
This problem doesn't appear in Calc or Impress.
During a few days, I could use the search box which was a floating box on the screen (in Impress and Calc, it's a bar on the bottom of the screen).
I'm also using VirtualBox and I changed a key combination in it : the original "host key" is "Ctrl right" and I moved it to "Ctrl left". It seems to me that was the begining of the problem. I moved back to initial key configuration, but without any effect.