# NTSB WPR12LA027: Beech A36, N64Z, Yucca Valley, CA, November 6, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 6, 2011, 09:55 local (17:55 UTC) - Place: Yucca Valley, CA - Coordinates: 34.134166, -116.396385 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1342&lon=-116.3964&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 15, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Continental Motors Inc. - NTSB case key (mKey): 82243 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12LA027 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82243/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82243 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA027 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause) ## Analysis During a training flight, the flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction were practicing procedures for a simulated engine failure. According to the pilot receiving instruction, when he attempted to reapply power the engine was unresponsive. They were forced to make an off-airport landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. During the postaccident examination, the engine was test run; no mechanical anomalies were revealed that precluded normal operation. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 6, 2011, about 0955 Pacific standard time (PST), a Beech A36, N64Z, made a forced landing following a loss of engine power at Yucca Valley Airport, Yucca Valley, California. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot undergoing instruction (PUI) were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The local instructional flight departed Yucca Valley about 0925. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The owner/PUI reported that they were performing a simulated loss of engine power. When he attempted to reapply power, the engine did not respond. They made a forced landing near the airport. During the landing, the right wing struck a road sign, and the landing nose gear separated from the fuselage. The PUI reported that the training flight had departed with approximately 35 gallons of fuel. During the recovery of the airplane, approximately 25 gallons of fuel was drained from both fuel tanks. On November 28, 2011, investigators examined the airplane and engine at Aircraftsman, Inc., Chino, California. The engine field run report is attached to the docket. The engine was inspected and the air induction filter box had sustained impact damage during the forced landing. No other damage to the engine was observed. After removing the damaged propeller a replacement propeller was installed. An external fuel supply was attached to the fuel valve, and the engine was started and ran with no abnormalities noted. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600) - [Landing: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N64Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N64Z), registered now, S/N E-918, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH A36 - Registry model: [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (registry code 1151604) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: E-918 - Airframe hours: 4847 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO 550 B4 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, November 8, 2011, 17 hours before - Departed: L22, Yucca Valley, CA - Destination: L22, Yucca Valley, CA - Airport: L22, Yucca Valley Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 2,735 total, 1,114 in this make and model, 2,455 as pilot in command, 61 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: NXP, 15 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20111106026999A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111106026999A), Nov 6, 2011: Beech A36, Yucca Valley, CA, Substantial damage. On 11/06/2011 at 0945 hours, the pilot and flight instructor on board N64Z were performing a simulated engine out procedure. After retarding the throttle they… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82243. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 374 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381934&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - CMI-Engine Field Test Run report- 14 Embedded Photographs (item 2, .PDF, 14 photos, 646 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381935&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CMI-Engine%20Field%20Test%20Run%20report-%2014%20Embedded%20Photographs-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 288 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381954&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.