- Date
- December 27, 1989, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gorman, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N875RBeech 33
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891227053319A
- Case key
- 26710
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The malfunctioning propeller governor, and the pilot's misjudgement of altitude and distance of the approach path during an emergency landing. Factors contributing to the accident were: the power lines across the approach path to the runway and the surrounding terrain conditions.
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
During cruise flight at 7,500 ft the pilot noticed the RPM fluctuating 50-100 RPM. The prop then started cycling 'wildly'. The pilot was able to stabilize the cycling by throttling back, and elected to glide to an airport. Power lines were observed across the approach to rwy 26. The aircraft landed short on top of a hill and rolled into a ravine. The pilot reported that the prop governor had 235 hrs since overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N875R
- Reported as
- Beech 33
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CD-31
- Airframe hours
- 3,974
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-J, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ray And Anne Glover
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1989 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- 068 · Mariposa, CA
- Destination
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Airport
- CL46 · Quail Lake, runway 26, 3,180 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 560 total · 92 in this make and model · 504 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N875R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.