# NTSB LAX77FA065: Beech E18S, N979SB, Catalina Is, CA, August 22, 1977

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: August 22, 1977
- Place: Catalina Is, CA · CATALINA IS, CA
- Location: 33.4050° N, 118.4158° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of CATALINA (AVX), within about 9 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4050&lon=-118.4158&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 14, 1977
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 145428
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX77FA065
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX77FA065

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3452  77/8/22    CATALINA IS,CA      BEECH E18S          CR-  2  0  0  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 2106                    N979SB              PX-  0  0  0  AIR TAXI-CARGO            AGE 37, 2460 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            UNK/NR IN TYPE,
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - CATALINA
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          CATALINA IS,CA              LONG BEACH,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                TAKEOFF: INITIAL CLIMB
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INCAPACITATION
           COPILOT - PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
           SYSTEMS - AIR CONDITION,HEATING AND PRESSURIZATION: OTHER
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FATIGUE FRACTURE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - FOG
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                              UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          FOG                                                      BELOW MINIMUMS
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- PILOT,CARBON MONOXIDE 45%,COPILOT 16.8%.CABIN HEATER,CRACKS IN COMBUSTION CHAMBER
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N979SB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N979SB-2013-07-01), registration cancelled 2013-07-01, S/N BA-302, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH E18S
- Registry model: [Beech E18S](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e18s) (registry code 1151006) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Catalina

## 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 19770822035749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770822035749A), Aug 22, 1977: Beech E18S, Catalina Is, CA, Destroyed. Pilot,carbon monoxide 45 ,copilot 16.8 .cabin heater,cracks in combustion chamber

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.
