Beech H35 accident near Tucson, Arizona, February 7, 1983
On February 7, 1983, a Beech H35, registered N4687D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tucson, Arizona (Tucson Intl. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- February 7, 1983
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Tucson Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H35 · all H35s on the register
- Registration
- N4687D · no longer on the register · serial D 4878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF THE POSITION OF A BOEING 727 THAT WAS LANDING ON RWY 29R & HE REPORTED SEEING THEACFT. HE ALSO WAS CAUTIONED ABOUT POSSIBLE WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE BOEING & HE ACKNOWLEDGED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE HE WAS ON AN APPROACH TO LAND, ABOUT 2 MI FROM THE ARPT, HIS BEECH H35 SUDDENLY PITCHED UP & FLIPPED OVER. HE RECOVERED, WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH AND LANDED SAFELY. AN EXAM AFTER LANDING REVEALED THAT THE V-TAIL WAS DAMAGED. THE INBOARD LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT STABILIZER WAS DEFORMED DOWNWARD ABOUT 1 3/4 INCHES & ITS LOWER SKIN WAS BUCKLED BETWEEN THE FRONT & REAR SPARS. THE FRONT SPAR OF THE RIGHT RUDDERVATOR WAS TWISTED & THERE WAS SKIN DEFORMATIONON BOTH RUDDERVATORS. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BEECH HAD CROSSED THE PATH OF THE LARGE ACFT AT APRX THE SAME ALT & ABOUT 60 TO 65 SEC LATER. THE SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE UPSET WAS APRX 160 KTS. THE MANEUVERING SPEED WAS 124 KTS IAS. THE AIM RCMDS 2 MIN SEPN BEHIND A LARGE ACFT WHEN LANDING ON THE SAME RWY OR A PARALLEL RWY WITHIN 2500 FT.
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
- Flight time: 1,106 hours in all; 1,011 in this make and model; 187 in the last 90 days; 1,120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1982; 260 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GYM Guaymas at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29L, 9,120 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.