Beech 35P incident near San Rafael, California, May 16, 1983
On May 16, 1983 at about 2:30 am local time, a Beech 35P, registered N8512M, suffered minor damage in an incident near San Rafael, California (Smith Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 incident. 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
- May 16, 1983 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- San Rafael, California · Smith Ranch
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35P · all 35Ps on the register
- Registration
- N8512M · registry record · serial D-7180
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING HIS FINAL APCH TO LAND, HE OBSERVED AN INDIVIDUAL ON A SMALL LAWN-TYPE TRACTOR, WELL CLEAR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, AS HE WAS LOWERING THE NOSE, HE OBSERVED THE TRACTOR PASS UNDER THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT. HE REPORTED THAT HE FELT NO IMPACT, BUT AFTER TURNING OFF THE RWY, HE NOTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING WAS DENTED. HE NOTIFIED THE ARPT MANAGER, WHO INSPECTED THE RWY. THE TRACTOR OPERATOR WAS FOUND LYING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY WITH SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES & WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 909 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 697 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,022 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1982; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TLR Tulare CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,140 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.