Beech 58 accident near Indio, California, February 4, 1983
On February 4, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N1586W, was destroyed in an accident near Indio, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 4, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Indio, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N1586W · no longer on the register · serial TH-238
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & PASSENGER HAD FLOWN FROM BERMUDA DUNES TO YUCCA VALLEY, CA ON A BUSINESS FLT. REPORTEDLY, THEY TERMINATED THEIR BUSINESS EARLY BECAUSE WX WAS BUILDING OVER THE MOUNTAINS BETWEEN YUCCA VALLEY & BERMUDA DUNES. WHILE ON THE RETURN TRIP, THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PROCEEDED TO A POINT WHERE HE HAD BERUMDA DUNES IN SIGHT, BUT ELECTED TO DIVERT BACK TO THE HIGH DESERT ARPT (NEAR YUCCA VALLEY) TO OBTAIN FUEL. AT APRX 1420 PST, THE PLT & PASSENGER TOOK OFF AGAIN FOR BERMUDA DUNES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT IMPACTED RESING TERRAIN NEAR THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE ALONG THE EXPECTED ROUTE. SEVERAL SOURCES REPORTED THAT THE WX HAD DETERIORATED IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. THE OWNER OF THE HIGH DESERT ARPT STATED THAT WHEN THE ACFT DEPARTED AFTER REFUELING, THE WX TOWARDS PALM SPRINGS WAS IFR. THE OWNER OF A HELICOPTER AG OPERATION NEAR DESERT HOT SPRINGS, STATED THAT THE WX BUILD-UP OVER THE MOUNTAINS WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO VFR FLT OPERATIONS.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L-22 Yucca Valley CA
- Destination: UDD Bermuda Dunes CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.