Beech K35 accident near Tucson, Arizona, December 14, 1982
On December 14, 1982 at about 10:23 pm local time, a Beech K35, registered N6085E, was destroyed in an accident near Tucson, Arizona. It was a personal 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
- December 14, 1982 · about 10:23 pm local time
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N6085E · registry record · serial D6035
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO RISING TERRAIN LEFT WING TIP FIRST. THE PILOT HAD MADE A RADIO CALL SAYING HE WAS LANDING DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AT 1517 MST. AT 1523 MST THE ACFT CRASHED OFF ARPT ON AN UPSLOPE WITH A 30 DEGREE INCLINE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT INDICATE ANY IN FLT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE. NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION WAS NOTED IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM OR HEAT SHROUDS WHICH MIGHT HAVE PRODUCED SMOKE. SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT MADE THIS A NON SURVIVABLE ACCIDENT. THE DRUGS THAT THE PILOT WAS TAKING CHRONICALLY WOULD HAVE AN EFFECT SIMILIAR TO ALCOHOL; NAMELY CONFUSION, LETHARGY, INATTENTION ETC. THE PILOT IN THE 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT TOOK AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF MEDICATION HIS DRUG LEVEL INDICATES HE WAS TAKING IT CHRONICALLY AND IN LARGER THAN NORMALLY PRESCRIBED DOSES.
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: 707 hours in all; 707 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 707 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,184 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Kerley Chemical CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: 7E2 Benson AZ
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from TUS, 22 miles away
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.