Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pioneer, California 95666
Sunday, June 30, 1991 9:11 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A BEECH 65 COLLIDED WITH TREES IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER AN INFLT LOSS OF CONTROL. A PILOT OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE START A TURN TO THE RIGHT, ROLL RIGHT AND CONTINUED UNTIL INVERTED AND ENTER INTO A SPIN. THE ACFT WAS IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHEN IT BEGAN ITS PULL; OUT. THE ENGINES WERE HEARD BY A GROUND WITNESS WHO INITIALLY MISTOOK THEM FOR AN APPROACH MOTORCYCLE. THE PILOT INITIALLY FLEW THE ACFT 45 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND LOGGED 3.5 DUAL INSTRUCTION HOURS. THERE WAS NO RECORD IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK OF ANY ADDITIONAL FLT TRNG SINCE THE INITIAL FLT. THE PLT SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED A BFR IN A CESSNA 150 FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DSCLSD THE RT ENG HAD BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE, BUT THE LEFT PROP WAS FEATHERED. THERE WERE NO PREEXISTING MECH MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES FOUND WITH THE LEFT ENG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY THE PILOT, WHEN HE INADVERTENTLY SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AFTER ENCOUNTERING A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE'S #6 EXHAUST VALVE SEAT BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE #6 EXHAUST VALVE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 911
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PIONEER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95666
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1664
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 30 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45514
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:20AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N713JB
NTSB Number LAX91FA282
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 65
Aircraft Series Identifier 65
Aircraft Serial Number LC-35
Certified Max Gross Weight 7700
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 9
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 6 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 4958
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STAHL, RICHARD E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 576693
Aircraft Owner City MODESTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95655
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2124 EASTWOOD COURT
Operator City MODESTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95355
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MOD
Departure City MODESTO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TVL
Destination City S LAKE TAHOE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --