Beech 77 accident near Little River, California, May 18, 1982
On May 18, 1982 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N1805Z, was destroyed in an accident near Little River, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- May 18, 1982 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Little River, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N1805Z · no longer on the register · serial WA271
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO MAKE A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THE PILOT BOUNCED THE AIRCRAFT HARD ON THE RUNWAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A SHARP LEFT TURN. FULL POWER WAS APPLIED AND THE FLAPS WERE RAISED IN AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO CLEAR TREES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN IN A DRAINAGE DITCH.
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: student
- Flight time: 11 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 127 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mendocino Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 048 Little River CA at 9:45 am
- Destination: 048 Little River CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from UKI, 26 miles away
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.