Beech H-18 accident near Fresno, California, June 19, 1982
On June 19, 1982 at about 1:56 am local time, a Beech H-18, registered N74JT, was destroyed in an accident near Fresno, California (Fresno Air Terminal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- June 19, 1982 · about 1:56 am local time
- Place
- Fresno, California · Fresno Air Terminal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H-18 · all H-18s on the register
- Registration
- N74JT · no longer on the register · serial BA-639
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF FROM RWY 29R, THE ACFT BEGAN TO PITCH UP. AS THE PITCH-UP PROGRESSED, THE PLT APPLIED RIGHT AILERON & FULL RIGHT RUDDER. THE ACFT RESPONDED BY ROLLING TO THE RIGHT WITH THE NOSE FALLING THRU. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO PULL OUT BEFORE THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND. IT COLLIDED WITH A 6 FT WIRE FENCE WHICH TORE OFF THE ENGINES & CAUSED THE ACFT TO ROTATE CLOCKWISE ON THE GROUND. CARGO IN THE ACFT WAS THROWN THRU THE SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE PLT EXITED THE ACFT WITHOUT INJURY. THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAMES & THE FUSELAGE WAS BADLY BURNED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 2989 LBS OF FREIGHT PLUS A 359 LB MOTORCYCLE WERE BEING CARRIED BETWEEN BULKHEADS 5 & 11. THE BULKHEAD LOADS WERE LIMITED TO 450 LBS (5-8) & 300 LBS (8-10). THE MAX GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 10,310 LBS. THE PLT REPORTED THAT NONE OF THE FREIGHT WAS TIED DOWN.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,767 hours in all; 2,475 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 3,636 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,988 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 526 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: West States Air Taxi
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA
- Destination: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29R, 9,218 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 192°F (89°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.