# NTSB LAX06LA111: Beech C23, N3724Z, San Jose, CA, February 12, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 12, 2006, 14:55 local (22:55 UTC) - Place: San Jose, CA - Coordinates: 37.332778, -121.821662 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3328&lon=-121.8217&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 63226 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX06LA111 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63226/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06LA111 ## Probable cause fuel starvation due to the pilot's improper fuel system management and failure to select the proper fuel tank. A factor was the rough, uneven terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - fuel management - improper, pilot in command (cause) - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis After losing engine power in the traffic pattern, the airplane touched down hard in an uneven field during a forced landing short of the runway. The pilot had been on a local sightseeing flight. He tried to contact the air traffic control tower, but was unable to do so due to frequency congestion. He crossed over the airport at midfield, and was heading eastbound at 2,000 feet when the engine lost power. He turned back toward the airport to attempt a landing, and informed the tower that he had an engine failure and wanted to make an emergency landing. The tower cleared him to land on runway 31R. He entered for a short final below 1,000 feet and turned to the right toward the end of the runway at 500 feet or less. He overshot the turn to final for 31R, and felt the airplane stall while in a steep turn. He decided that he could not make the runway, and headed to a grass field near the end of the runway. He slowed to 60 knots, touched down hard in the uneven field, and skidded across a road. Airport operations personnel inspected the fuel tanks and found that the right tank was dry and the left tank had several gallons. The pilot informed them that he forgot to switch fuel tanks from the right tank to the left prior to landing. ## Factual narrative On February 12, 2006, about 1455 Pacific standard time, a Beech C23 Sundowner, N3724Z, collided with terrain approximately 300 feet from the approach end of runway 31L at Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County, San Jose, California. Air Accord Flight School was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot was not injured; two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed at 1330. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The approximate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the primary wreckage were 37 degrees 20 minutes north latitude and 121 degrees 49 minutes west longitude. The pilot submitted a written report. He stated that he had been on a local sightseeing flight. He tried to contact the air traffic control tower, but was unable to do so due to frequency congestion. He crossed over the airport at midfield, and was heading eastbound at 2,000 feet when the engine lost power. He set up a glide at 78 knots, and moved the mixture to full rich and applied carburetor heat. The engine quit, came back on, and then finally quit again. The pilot turned back toward the airport to attempt a landing, and informed the tower that he had an engine failure and wanted to make an emergency landing. The tower cleared him to land on runway 31R. He entered for a short final below 1,000 feet. He stated that he received a couple of calls from the tower, but was unable to respond. He turned to the right toward the end of the runway at 500 feet or less. He delayed his turn a little bit due to tower communication attempts. He overshot 31R, and felt the airplane stall while in a steep turn. He decided that he could not make the runway, and headed to a grass field near the end of the runway. He slowed to 60 knots, touched down hard in the uneven field, and skidded to a road. Airport operations inspected the fuel tanks and found that the right tank was dry and the left tank had several gallons. The pilot informed them that he forgot to switch fuel tanks prior to landing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3724Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3724Z-2006-05-15), registration cancelled 2006-05-15, S/N M-2281, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech C23 - Registry model: [Beech C23](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c23) (registry code 1151242) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: M-2281 - Airframe hours: 4764 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4K 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Yuzo Wakita - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 1, 2005, 62 hours before - Departed: RHV, San Jose, CA - Destination: RHV, San Jose, CA - Airport: RHV, Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C, runway 31R, 3,101 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 364 total, 241 in this make and model, 84 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: RHV ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060212001929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060212001929A), Feb 12, 2006: Beech C23, San Jose, CA, Destroyed. (-23) The Beech sundowner crash landed about 300 feet short of runway 31L after experiencing power loss as it was about to enter a right downwind leg, at about… ## Other investigations on N3724Z (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 LAX98LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA035), Nov 8, 1997: Beech C23 (N3724Z), Corona, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the rough terrain that resulted in a nose over during the landing roll. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.