20051231033189A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Beech V35A · Valley Center, CA · December 31, 2005

Date: December 31, 2005 · 08:00 local
Place: Valley Center, CA
Airport: Blackinton Airport
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7944R
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX06FA075
Reported as: Beech V35A
Reported engine: Continental TSIO520D
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,875 total

N7944RRegistration cancelled Jul 23, 2013 · Beech V35AS/N D-8961 · Built 1969 Airframe modelBeech V35A Engine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On December 31, 2005, about 0800 pacific standard time, a Beechcraft V35A N7944R, collided with terrain following a loss of engine power near Valley Center, California. The airplane was the last of five airplanes that were traveling to another airport for an overnight trip. Witnesses observed the takeoff, and reported that they heard a loud bang as the airplane reached about 800 feet above ground level. The airplane came to rest with the tail in avocado tree. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON DECEMBER 31, 2005, ABOUT 0800 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BEECHCRAFT V35A N7944R, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR VALLEY CENTER, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS THE LAST OF FIVE AIRPLANES THAT WERE TRAVELING TO ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR AN OVERNIGHT TRIP. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE TAKEOFF, AND REPORTED THAT THEY HEARD A LOUD BANG AS THE AIRPLANE REACHED ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST WITH THE TAIL IN AVOCADO TREE. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX06FA075Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportValley Center, CAthe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin following a loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb, resulting in a stall/spin. While the laboratory tests indicated the presence of an unknown biological contaminant in the fuel manifold…Dec 31, 2005 · Destroyed