Beech V35B accident near Terminal Island, California, April 30, 1982
On April 30, 1982, a Beech V35B, registered N1573W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Terminal Island, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 30, 1982
- Place
- Terminal Island, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1573W · no longer on the register · serial D9351
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND A MECHANIC WERE ON A FLIGHT TO TEST THE AIRCRAFT AFTER CHANGING THE MAGNETOS, SPARK PLUGS, AND IGNITION HARNESS. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, BUT SMOOTHED OUT AFTER THE BOOST PUMP WAS SWITCHED ON. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE CABIN BECAME FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE MASTER SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF, AND AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. SMOKE WAS CLEARED FROM THE COCKPIT BY OPENING A SIDE WINDOW AND THE CABIN DOOR. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO AN ABANDONED MILITARY STRIP; HOWEVER, HE HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. THE PLANE STRUCK A CHAIN LINK FENCE AT THE APPROACH END OF THE FIELD DURING TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A FUEL LEAK OCCURRED AND THE FUEL WAS IGNITED BY THE HOT EXHAUST.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,862 hours in all; 4,210 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 4,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 4:45 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.