Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bowman, California 95604
Tuesady, April 17, 1984 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON A FLT FROM FAIR OAKS, CA, TO RENO, NV, A FLT OF ABOUT 1 HR 15 MINS, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER LOSS. THE PLT ASKED THE PAX TO SELECT THE OTHER FUEL TANK. THE SELCTOR HANDLE WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE VALVE. BUT THE PAX LOCATED THE HANDLE AND TURNED THE VALVE. THIS ACTION DID NOT AID IN RESTARTING THE ENGINE. DURING A FORCED LANDING AT NIGHT, THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE, AN ELECTRIC CABLE, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND. AN INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. BEECH SERVICE INSTRUCTION NO 1095, WHICH PROVIDED FOR STOPS ON THE FUEL VALVE TO PRECLUDE INADVERTENT SELECTION OF THE OFF POSITION HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 6 HRS PREVIOUSLY WITHOUT REFUELING. NORMAL ENDURANCE IS 6-1/2 HRS. ABOUT 6 GALS OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PLT, A FORMER ARMY AVIATOR, HELD NO FAA PLT RATINGS. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.177%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 40
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BOWMAN
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95604
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 4
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 49 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 202
Weather Observation Facility ID SAC
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 72
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1058
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24799
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5676S
NTSB Number LAX84FA259
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A23-24
Aircraft Series Identifier A23-24
Aircraft Serial Number MA-84
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 2822
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES D. KNAPP & DEBORAH KNAPP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2981 STATE ST. 64
Aircraft Owner City MEDFORD
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES PORTER/STEVEN LEWIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 426 CAMERON ST.
Operator City ROSEVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95678
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 011
Departure City FAIR OAKS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RNO
Destination City RENO
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --