- Date
- April 20, 1985, 20:22 local (Apr 21, 1985, 04:22 UTC)
- Place
- Goleta, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N22BWBeech F33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850420016109A
- Case key
- 24492
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
When the plt was advised the destn arpt (santa ynez) was directly ahead at 12 mi, he requested a freq change & radar svc was terminated. About 9 min later, he reestablished radio contact (with ARTCC) & reported he was not sure of his psn. The controller told the plt the acft was too low for his radar & advised him to contact santa barbara rapcon for assistance. After contacting rapcon, he reported he was disoriented & was unable to find the destn arpt. The acft was radar identified & the plt confirmed a mode c alt of 1300'. He was cautioned about the terrain elev & was given a hdg tofly. The plt said he was familiar with the terrain. Shortly thereafter, radio & radar contact were lost. Subsequently, the acft entered a dscnt, crashed & burned about 8 mi south of santa ynez, near the coast. Impact was on rolling terrainat an elev of aprx 95' MSL. The terrain rose to aprx 4000' btn the crash site & the arpt. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd. Toxicology checks of the plt's spleen & liver fluids showed alcohol lvls of 0.124% & 0.130%.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N22BW
- Reported as
- Beech F33A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CE-476
- Airframe hours
- 2,417
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-D, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Scott G. Leeth
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 13, 1984 · 112 hours before
- Departed
- EMT · El Monte, CA
- Destination
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 400 in this make and model · 420 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBA, 10 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.
Other investigations on N22BW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.