Smiths Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Rafael, California 94901
Wednesday, April 23, 1986 15:50 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO AIRCRAFT COLLIDED ON THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING APPROACH. THE CESSNA PILOT HAD WASHED HIS AIRCRAFT AND HAD MADE A LOCAL FLIGHT TO DRY IT OFF. THE BEECH PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM A NEARBY AIRPORT WHERE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN PERFORMED. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE CESSNA HAD LANDED AND WAS ROLLING ON THE RUNWAY WHEN THE BEECH LANDED ON TOP OF IT. EACH PILOT STATED THAT HE ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTIONS, BUT EACH PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR THE OTHER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN RAFAEL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94901
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SMITHS RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CA35
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 24
Weather Observation Facility ID APC
Elevation of weather observation facility 33
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1490
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1650
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N4496C N3947N
NTSB Number LAX86LA189A LAX86LA189B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA BEECH
Aircraft Model 195A 35
Aircraft Series Identifier 195A 35
Aircraft Serial Number 16080 D1206
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350 1972
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 4
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 17 1985 12:00AM Apr 22 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35 1
Airframe Hours -- 4580
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated Yes No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name F. V. DE PEYSTER DUANE C. HUGHES
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 11307 48 SIMMS ST.
Aircraft Owner City RENO SAN RAFAEL
Aircraft Owner State NV CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89510 94901
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes No
Departure Airport Code 056
Departure City NOVATO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 1540
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing Landing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22 22
Runway Length 2138 2138
Runway Width 30 30
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --