Cessna 340A accident near Orinda, California, November 13, 1982
On November 13, 1982 at about 11:34 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N29HT, was destroyed in an accident near Orinda, California. 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
- November 13, 1982 · about 11:34 pm local time
- Place
- Orinda, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N29HT · registry record · serial 340A0515
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING SAN JOSE, CA, THE PLT CLIMBED TO AN ALT OF 4600 FT MSL & PROCEEDED TOWARD NOVATO, CA. FROM 1528 TO 1533 PST, RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE ACFT WAS LEVEL AT 4600 FT ON A HEADING OF 330 DEG AT 180 FTS GROUND SPEED. RADAR INFO SHOWED THAT THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A DESCENT. DURING A 24 SEC PERIOD, THE ACFT DESCENDED TO AN ALT OF 4100 FT MSL & ITS HEADING CHANGED 10 DEG TO THE RIGHT. THE LAST RADAR POSITION, 12 SEC LATER, REVEALED AN ADDITIONAL HEADING CHANGE OF 150 DEG TO THE RIGHT, ACCOMPANIED BY A DESCENT TO 2300 (9000 FRM DESCENT). WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT DESCENDING AT HIGH SPEED IN A RIGHT TURN WITH THE ENGS AT HIGH POWER. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT, THE RIGHT BANK ANGLE & NOSE LOW ATTITUDE INCREASED. THE ACFT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW, ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT,MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. NO AUTOPSY WAS WAS MADE, ONLY A GROSS EXAM OF THE PLT'S FRAGMENTED BODY WAS POSSIBLE. BEFORE DEPARTING SAN JOSE, THE PLT HAD REMARKED THAT HE WAS BOTHERED BY A BAD COLD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 891 hours in all; 704 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,235 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520M (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 11:20 pm
- Destination: 056 Novato CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N29HT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.