Beech A35 accident near Oceanside, California, October 10, 1982
On October 10, 1982 at about 7:58 pm local time, a Beech A35, registered N696B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oceanside, California (Oceanside airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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
- October 10, 1982 · about 7:58 pm local time
- Place
- Oceanside, California · Oceanside · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A35 · all A35s on the register
- Registration
- N696B · no longer on the register · serial D-1699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN TO RUNAY 24. AT THAT TIME, A WITNESS (A WELL QUALIFIED PILOT) NOTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 8 KTS. ANOTHER PILOT-WITNESS STATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 10 KTS OR MORE. ABOUT 7 MI SOUTHEAST AT AN OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY, THE WIND WAS FROM 320 DEG AT 8 KTS. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ON DOWNWIND, IT REPORTEDLY ANGLEO TOWARD THE RUNWAY, WAS AT A LOWER-THAN-NORMAL ALTITUDE, AND THE AIRSPEED WAS SLOW. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A DESCENDING TURN TOWARD THE RUNWAY, WHEN IT ENTERED A SPIN AND CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT ABNORMALITIES WERE FOUND DURING AN EXAMINATION AT THE CRASH SITE.
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: 6,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,911 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,061 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:45 pm from CRQ, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.