- Date
- December 29, 1982, 15:05 local (23:05 UTC)
- Place
- Chico, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4428DBeech G35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 29, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821229065039A
- Case key
- 70234
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft was on a flight from arcata, CA to sacramento, CA with en route stops at redding, red bluff and Chico. The pilot reported that when he was on final approach to land at Chico, the engine lost power. Subsequently, the aircraft struck elements of the localizer antenna during a forced landing. An investigation revealed that the aircraft was equipped with two main fuel tanks and two auxiliary tanks. The auxiliary tanks were placarded for use in level flight only. The right main tank was found empty, the left main was about 1/4 full. The pilot reported he was unable to remember which fuel tank was being used during the approach. The fuel selector was found positioned to the "off" position. The engine was subsequently given a test run and operated normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4428D
- Reported as
- Beech G35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D4551
- Airframe hours
- 4,936
- Engine
- Continental E-225-8, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John F. Pixton
- Registered owner
- John F. Pixton
- Departed
- RBL · Reo Bluff
- Destination
- CIC · Chicago, CA
- Airport
- CIC · Chico Municipal, runway 31, 6,724 × 150 ft, concrete
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 3,056 total · 2,200 in this make and model · 2,970 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Observed at
- 30 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.