# Accident 20230708022399A: Beech P35, Sheltor Cove, CA, July 8, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 8, 2023, 19:30 local time
- Place: Sheltor Cove, CA
- Airport: Shelter Cove
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0282° N, 124.0743° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0282&lon=-124.0743&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9520Y, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9520Y) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech P35 (registry code 1151530, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-p35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH P35
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR I0-470 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 553 total, 97 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA262) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230708022399A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING SHELTER COVE, CA. AIRPORT…

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT BEING ABEAM THE NUMBERS AND THE BASE TURN, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND POWER WAS DIMINISHED. APPROXIMATELY 800-FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) AND DESCENDING. DUE TO THE LIMITED TIME, SPEED AND ALTITUDE AVAILABLE, PILOT SET BEST GLIDE AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN RUNNING BASIC EMERGENCY PROCEDURE FLOWS FROM MEMORY. PILOT VERIFIED THAT MY MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FULL RICH AND THEN SET THROTTLE TO FULL POWER. SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. TURNED ON THE AIRCRAFT’S AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP, AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED A LITTLE BETTER, BUT POWER REMAINED LOW.

PILOT TRIED TO RETURN THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CONTROLS BACK TO THE THEIR LAST KNOWN GOOD CONDITION, NOTHING CHANGED. PILOT REALIZED NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RUNWAY AND RETRACTED LANDING GEAR AND PREPARED TO DITCH.

IMMEDIATELY UPON IMPACT WITH THE WATER, THE CABIN BEGAN FILLING WITH WATER. PILOT OPENED THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. PILOT AND PASSENGER QUICKLY EXITED ONTO THE RIGHT WING. PILOT DID A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF PASSENGER TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL AND SEVERITY OF INJURIES. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS INJURIES NOTED AT THIS TIME. PILOT ADVISED PASSENGER THAT THE PLANE WAS GOING TO SINK AND THEY HAD TO START SWIMMING TOWARDS SHORE AND THE AIRCRAFT SANK SHORTLY AFTER.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR23LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA262), Jul 8, 2023: Beech P35 (N9520Y), Shelter Cove, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not located and recovered.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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