Accident Beechcraft E35 Bonanza N3233C,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35666
 
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Date:Saturday 7 August 1993
Time:17:35 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic BE35 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Beechcraft E35 Bonanza
Owner/operator:Philip Lowell Long Trust
Registration: N3233C
MSN: D-3898
Year of manufacture:1954
Engine model:CONTINENTAL IO-470-N
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Big Bear, CA -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Modesto, CA (KMOD)
Destination airport:Phoenix, AZ (KPHX)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT SAID TO A WEATHER BRIEFER THAT HE MAY STOP EN ROUTE, AND THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN APPROACH TO AN AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY BETWEEN THE DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND POWER LINES WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. A PILOT WITNESS WATCHED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE PATTERN AND NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING A CLOSE IN DOWNWIND AND BASE CONTRARY TO NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES AND HIS TURNS WERE VERY STEEP. THE PILOT STATED TO PARAMEDICS THAT HE HAD LOST POWER ON FINAL. THE AIRCRAFT HAS FIVE SELECTABLE FUEL TANKS. THE MAIN SELECTOR WAS FOUND ON THE LEFT MAIN TANK. THE LEFT TANK WAS OF AN ORIGINAL DESIGN UNBAFFLED CONFIGURATION, WHICH WAS ON THE INSIDE OF ALL THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TURNS. THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL CAUTIONS AGAINST PROLONGED TURNS OR SLIPS WITH LESS THAN 10 GALLONS IN THE SELECTED TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

Probable Cause: A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNPORTING OF THE SELECTED MAIN FUEL TANK AT A CRITICAL TIME, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIVES IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL REGARDING PROLONGED TURNS OR SLIPS WITH LESS THAN 10 GALLONS IN THE SELECTED TANK.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX93FA315
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX93FA315

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:22 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
10-Apr-2024 11:56 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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