Cessna 195A and Beech V35B accident near Palo Alto, California, March 31, 1983
On March 31, 1983 at about 10:38 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 195A (N1537H) and Beech V35B (N2084L), were involved in the same accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto airport). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1983 · about 10:38 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 195A · all 195As on the register
- Registration
- N1537H · no longer on the register · serial 7759
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2084L · registry record · serial D9906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 195A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCREWS OF A CESSNA 195A, N1537H, & A BEECH V35B, N2084L, WERE CLEARED TO RWY 30 FROM DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THE PARKING AREA. THE CESSNA PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO USE THE 'SHORTEST ROUTE, NO DELAY PLEASE.' AS THE ACFT WERE TAXIED ON SEPARATE ROUTES, THEY CONVERGED WHERE THE 2 TAXIWAYS MERGED AT THE RUN-UP AREA. THE CESSNA PLT WAS S-TURNING AS HE APPROACHED THE RUN-UP AREA. HE NOTED 2 ACFT PARKED AT 2 OF 3 RUN-UP HOLD LINES, BUT DID NOT SEE THE BEECH CONVERGING FROM HIS RIGHT. THE BEECH WAS SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THE CESSNA & WAS TAXIING SLOWER. THE PILOT OF THE BEECH DID NOT SEE THE CESSNA CONVERGING FROM HIS LEFT REAR AREA. BOTH OF THE ACFT WERE TAXIING IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION & WERE WITHIN 10 FT OF THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE WHEN THE 2 COLLIDED.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech V35B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCREWS OF A CESSNA 195A, N1537H, & A BEECH V35B, N2084L, WERE CLEARED TO RWY 30 FROM DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THE PARKING AREA. THE CESSNA PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO USE THE 'SHORTEST ROUTE, NO DELAY PLEASE.' AS THE ACFT WERE TAXIED ON SEPARATE ROUTES, THEY CONVERGED WHERE THE 2 TAXIWAYS MERGED AT THE RUN-UP AREA. THE CESSNA PLT WAS S-TURNING AS HE APPROACHED THE RUN-UP AREA. HE NOTED 2 ACFT PARKED AT 2 OF 3 RUN-UP HOLD LINES, BUT DID NOT SEE THE BEECH CONVERGING FROM HIS RIGHT. THE BEECH WAS SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF THE CESSNA & WAS TAXIING SLOWER. THE PILOT OF THE BEECH DID NOT SEE THE CESSNA CONVERGING FROM HIS LEFT REAR AREA. BOTH OF THE ACFT WERE TAXIING IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION & WERE WITHIN 10 FT OF THE TAXIWAY CENTERLINE WHEN THE 2 COLLIDED.
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 for the Cessna 195A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,950 hours in all; 3,050 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-775A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:39 pm from PAO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech V35B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 426 hours in all; 213 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,651 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N1537H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX83LA171.