Beech 55 accident near Watsonville, California, September 19, 1983
On September 19, 1983 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N18ER, was destroyed in an accident near Watsonville, California (Watsonville 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
- September 19, 1983 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · Watsonville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N18ER · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE GEAR BUT RAISED IT WHEN THE TOWER REQUESTED THAT HE CIRCLE WHILE EQUIPMENT WAS CLEARED FROM THE RWY. WHEN HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND HE APPROACHED THE RWY ANDAS HE DID SO SAW A PERSON ON THE GROUND WAVING AT HIM BUT HE DID NOT ASSOCIATE IT WITH THE GEAR BEING UP. THE WAVING HE SAID DISTRACTED HIM FROM MAKING HIS FINAL GEAR CHECK AND THE LANDING WAS MADE GEAR UP.
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: 6,030 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 6,030 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental 10470L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MPY Monterey CA
- Destination: WVI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.