Smith Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Rafael, California 94915
Sunday, May 15, 1983 19:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING HIS FINAL APCH TO LAND, HE OBSERVED AN INDIVIDUAL ON A SMALL LAWN-TYPE TRACTOR, WELL CLEAR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, AS HE WAS LOWERING THE NOSE, HE OBSERVED THE TRACTOR PASS UNDER THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT. HE REPORTED THAT HE FELT NO IMPACT, BUT AFTER TURNING OFF THE RWY, HE NOTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING WAS DENTED. HE NOTIFIED THE ARPT MANAGER, WHO INSPECTED THE RWY. THE TRACTOR OPERATOR WAS FOUND LYING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY WITH SERIOUS HEAD INJURIES & WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/15/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN RAFAEL
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94915
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SMITH 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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 820
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21027
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2004 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8512M
NTSB Number LAX83LA233
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 35P
Aircraft Series Identifier 35P
Aircraft Serial Number D-7180
Certified Max Gross Weight 3125
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 3022
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES M. MC ELROY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15 VIA BARRANGA
Aircraft Owner City SAN RAFAEL
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94904
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation 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
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TLR
Departure City TULARE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1755
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2004 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2140
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --