Beech P35 accident near Mckittrick, California, December 27, 1983
On December 27, 1983 at about 7:34 pm local time, a Beech P35, registered N258C, was destroyed in an accident near Mckittrick, California. 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
- December 27, 1983 · about 7:34 pm local time
- Place
- Mckittrick, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech P35 · all P35s on the register
- Registration
- N258C · registry record · serial O-7068
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DEPARTING ON AN IFR X-COUNTRY FLT, THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING FROM 7000 TO 11,000 FT, WHEN THE PLT WAS ASKED (AT 1126) TO INCREASING HER RATE OF CLIMB BECAUSE OF OTHER TRAFFIC. AT 1926:13, SHE WAS ASKED TO SAY HER ALT & SHE SAID SHE WAS AT 9500 FT. AT 1926:32, THE PLT WAS ASKED IF SHE WAS CLIMBING TO 11,000 FT & SHE REPLIED 'AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.' AT 1926:21, ATC AGAIN ASKED THE PLT TO REPORT HER ALT. THE ONLY REPLY WAS THE SOUND OF AN INTERMITTENT OPEN MICROPHONE. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE LAST MODE C REPLY WAS AT 1129:27 AT 10,200 FT. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST 1 MIN LATER. GROUND WITNESSES BRIEFLY OBSERVED THE ACFT AT AN ESTIMATED 800 TO 1500 FT AGL. THE ACFT THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT TO AN EXTREME NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & CRASHED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 485 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 281 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1983; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flying Particles, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LVK Livermore CA at 6:17 pm
- Destination: IPL Imperial CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from BFL, 27 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.