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20080118000339A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Beech V35B · Fresno, CA · January 18, 2008

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
January 18, 2008 · 14:00 local
Place
Fresno, CA
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N4662M
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX08FA047
Reported as
Beech V35B
Reported engine
Continental IO520*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
4,500 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N4662MRegistration cancelled Oct 9, 2014 · Beech V35BS/N D-10125 · Built 1978Airframe modelBeech V35BEngine 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) The aircraft was being operated on an IFR flight from Fresno chandler airport to san diego montgomery field by the owner/pilot. VFR conditions prevailed. The accident occurred approximately 8 miles and 9 minutes after takeoff. An ATC tape recording of transmissions before the accident reveal the pilot did not respond to ATC promptly and took up the wrong initial heading after receiving his clearance. At approximately 1400PST, the pilot informed ATC he was leaving frequency for a minute. He never called ATC back. Radar data indicates the aircraft climbed to 8200', descended rapidly to 7100', and was subsequently lost on radar. Witnesses observed the aircraft break up in flight and crash. Investigation determined that both wings, the engine/propeller, and the empennage separated in flight and the pilot who was not wearing a seat belt was ejected as the airplane broke apart. All major components of the aircraft were located in a debris field of approx 1/2 mile square. Evaluation of the wreckage by NTSB revealed no mechanical discrepancies. Two containers of alcoholic beverages were found in the pilot's coat pocket and a vial containing a prescription was found in his bag.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON AN IFR FLIGHT FROM FRESNO CHANDLER AIRPORT TO SAN DIEGO MONTGOMERY FIELD BY THE OWNER/PILOT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES AND 9 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. AN ATC TAPE RECORDING OF TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT REVEAL THE PILOT DID NOT RESPOND TO ATC PROMPTLY AND TOOK UP THE WRONG INITIAL HEADING AFTER RECEIVING HIS CLEARANCE. AT APPROXIMATELY 1400PST, THE PILOT INFORMED ATC HE WAS LEAVING FREQUENCY FOR A MINUTE. HE NEVER CALLED ATC BACK. RADAR DATA INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 8200', DESCENDED RAPIDLY TO 7100', AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOST ON RADAR. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT BREAK UP IN FLIGHT AND CRASH. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT BOTH WINGS, THE ENGINE/PROPELLER, AND THE EMPENNAGE SEPARATED IN FLIGHT AND THE PILOT WHO WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT WAS EJECTED AS THE AIRPLANE BROKE APART. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE LOCATED IN A DEBRIS FIELD OF APPROX 1/2 MILE SQUARE. EVALUATION OF THE WRECKAGE BY NTSB REVEALED NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES. TWO CONTAINERS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WERE FOUND IN THE PILOT'S COAT POCKET AND A VIAL CONTAINING A PRESCRIPTION WAS FOUND IN HIS BAG.

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 LAX08FA047Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportSelma, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain control resulting in the in-flight break-up of the airplane due to aerodynamic overload. Contributing factors included the pilot's impairment due to multiple medical conditions and due to recent use of alcohol.Jan 18, 2008 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4662M · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20060512007329IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · San Diego, CA(-23) On may 12, 2006, N4662M, a Beechcraft model V-35B aircraft landed kmyf runway 28L. The pilot states that during roll out he applied aircraft brakes, but they did not function. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway causing the pilot to retract the…May 12, 2006 · Minor damage