Beech BE-18 accident near Santa Maria, California, February 13, 1985
On February 13, 1985 at about 3:28 pm local time, a Beech BE-18, registered N81DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Maria, California (Santa Maria airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- February 13, 1985 · about 3:28 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · Santa Maria · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-18
- Registration
- N81DA · no longer on the register · serial BA-647
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPTD THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT ON RWY 30, A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE ACFT RIGHT WING TO LIFT. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE UPLIFTING WING AND THE ACFT ENTERED INTO A LEFT GROUNDLOOP MANEUVER & EXITED THE RWY. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER REPORTED THE PLT REQUESTED & RECEIVED LANDING INSTRUCTION ABOUT 8 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT & THE ACFT WAS CLEARED FOR A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 30. THE SURFACE WINDS WERE 320 DEGS AT 8 KTS. APRX 4 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED THE SURFACE WIND INFORMATION. THE WINDS WERE FROM 360 DEGS AT 14 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,030 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 5,940 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,584 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Coast Air Freight
The flight
- Departed from: ONT Ontario CA at 2:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:32 am from SMX
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.