Beech 58 accident near Tucson, Arizona, March 16, 1982
On March 16, 1982 at about 8:30 am local time, a Beech 58, registered N184VB, was destroyed in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- March 16, 1982 · about 8:30 am local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N184VB · registry record · serial TW1076
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED PHOENIX AT 0045 FOR THE THIRD LEG OF A SIX LEG BANK RUN BETWEEN PHOENIX & TUCSON INTL ARPT. HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH THE PHOENIX TRACON DURING DEPARTURE & WAS RELEASED AT THE TOLTEC INTERSECTION (V16) AT 5,500 FT. THERE WAS NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. BOTH TUCSON TRACON & TOWER WERE SHUT DOWN AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE ACFT OVERFLEW TUCSON INTL ARPT & IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN AT 5,200 FT MSL IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE (2-3 DEG). A STRAIGHT LINE DRAWN FROM THE TOLTEC INTERSECTION THROUGH TUCSON INTL ARPT INTO THE SANTA RITA MOUNTAINS, SPECIFICALLY MT. FAGAN, WILL LOCATE THE APPROXIMATELY SITE OF THE CRASH. THE PLT WAS UP BY 0815 ON 3/15/82. LATER IN THE DAY HE FLEW ANOTHER BE-58 SORTIE (1630-1730) GIVING A PILOT CHECK-OUT FOR A COMMERCIAL OPERATOR. HE THEN RETURNED HOME FOR SUPPER & FINALLY REPORTED FOR NORMAL DUTY AT 2130.
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: 10,806 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 285 in the last 90 days; 12,306 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,211 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-CB8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Valley National Bank
The flight
- Departed from: Phoenix AZ
- Destination: Ada MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 129°F (54°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.