Beech 65-A90 accident near San Jose, California, May 30, 1985
On May 30, 1985 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Beech 65-A90, registered N22WC, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (San Jose International airport). It was an executive or corporate 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
- May 30, 1985 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · San Jose International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65-A90 · all 65-A90s on the register
- Registration
- N22WC · registry record · serial LJ-214
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT SEPERATED WHEN THE UPPER TORQUE KNEE LINK FAILED. AFTER THE GEAR SEPARATED THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY COMING TO REST IN A GRASS AREA. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED TORQUE KNEE REVEALED IT FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE CRACKING WHICH WAS CAUSED BY GOUGES IN THE SURFACE OF THE LINK WHICH CAUSED STRESS CONCENTRATIONS. THE GOUGES HAD BEEN PAINTED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH BEECH AIRCRAFT CORPORTATIONS PROGRESSIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WHICH REQUIRES THE LANDING GEAR TORQUE KNEE LINKS TO BE REPLACED OR OVERHAULED EACH 5 YEARS OR 5000 CYCLES. NO RECORD OF THIS HAVING BEEN ACCOMPLISHED COULD BE FOUND IN THE AIRCRAFTS LOGBOOKS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 7,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,363 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 11, 1984; 133 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: King Hi-Tech INC.
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 4,418 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from SJC
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.