Beech B19 accident near Ruth, California, October 12, 1985
On October 12, 1985 at about 2:00 am local time, a Beech B19, registered N1983W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ruth, California (Ruth 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 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
- October 12, 1985 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Ruth, California · Ruth · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N1983W · registry record · serial MB-665
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 117 HR PVT PLT COMPLETED A 50 MIN FLT AT DUSK & PREPARED FOR LDG ON RWY 31. THE PLT HAD NEVER LANDED ON THAT RWY BEFORE & STATED THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE REMARKS CONTAINED IN THE ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY INDICATING THAT THE THRESHOLD FOR RWY 31 HAD BEEN DISPLACED 70' BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF A BERM. THE ACFT WAS LOW ON SHORT FINAL APCH & COLLIDED WITH THE BERM.
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: 118 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 97 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,007 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 1, 1985; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FOT Fortuna CA at 1:10 am
- Destination: Q95 Ruth CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,170 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.