Beech A36TC accident near Hearst, California, April 22, 1982
On April 22, 1982 at about 5:30 am local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N667WT, was destroyed in an accident near Hearst, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were 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
- April 22, 1982 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Hearst, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N667WT · no longer on the register · serial EA35
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 26 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT NIGHT. THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED ABOUT EIGHT MILES EAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND WAS AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2000 FT MSL. DURING IMPACT IT STRUCK TREES AND A 20 DEGREE SLOPE WHILE ON A WESTERLY HEADING. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE HEARD AND OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLY OVER HIS RESIDENCE AND THEN CRASH ABOUT ONE MINUTE LATER. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER HIS POSITION, THE ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING AS IF IT WAS OUT OF GAS, AND THEN IT QUIT RUNNING ALTOGETHER. THE AIRCRAFT AND THE ENGINE WERE BADLY DEMOLISHED DURING IMPACT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,411 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1,301 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520UB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Timmerman Construction CO
The flight
- Departed from: Willits CA at 9:05 pm
- Destination: Fair Oaks CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.