Beech A35 accident near Rio Linda, CA
On March 27, 2002, a Beech A35 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Rio Linda, CA. 4 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 27, 2002
- Place
- Rio Linda, CA
- Aircraft
- Beech A35 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 4 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 38.675°N, 121.444°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020402X00445
Official records · LAX02LA117
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On March 27, 2002, at 0715 Pacific standard time, a Beech A35, N8428A, collided with the ground following a loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb from runway 17 at the Rio Linda Airport (Q94), Rio Linda, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and three passengers sustained serious injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight was departing Rio Linda en route to Buchanan Field Airport (CCR), Concord, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Ground witnesses at the airport reported that the airplane achieved about 100 feet of altitude in the takeoff initial climb from the 2,620-foot-long runway when the engine quit. The airplane landed "flat and hard" off the end of the runway and slid into a creek bed. In an interview with the Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he had been flying the same route daily for the 3 months prior to the accident, always following the same procedures. He would takeoff on the left main tank, and upon reaching his cruise altitude, would switch to the tip tanks for the duration of the flight. Initial statements by the pilot indicated that he believed to have had only 21 gallons of automotive fuel on board. Later, he stated that the 13.5-gallon capacity tip tanks were refueled the evening prior to the accident, but the main tanks were not, as he was concerned with the weight and balance of the already heavily loaded airplane. During preflight, the pilot says he
Probable cause
the loss of engine power as a result of fuel starvation due to the pilot's inadequate fuel system management and failure to follow procedures and directives in the Pilot Operating Handbook listed by the manufacturer.
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Browse: California · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
