Beech A36TC accident near Minden, Nevada, September 7, 2000
On September 7, 2000 at about 9:01 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N7110M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minden, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to follow the pilot operating handbook procedures and to refuel the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2000 · about 9:01 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N7110M · no longer on the register · serial EA53
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he was departing Minden after having an oil change. He was departing with about 10 gallons of fuel onboard, and the left tank was selected for departure. He stated that due to departing traffic he was distracted and inadvertently departed on the fuel tank with the lesser amount of fuel. He said he did not want to switch tanks during the climb and chose to wait for level flight. Subsequently, during the departure climb, the engine quit. He changed fuel tanks and turned the fuel boost pump on in an attempt to restart the engine. During postaccident examination, 1 quart of fuel was drained from the left tank and 8 gallons were drained from the right tank. According to the Beech Aircraft Pilot Operator Handbook, 'In no case should a takeoff be made if the fuel indicators are in the yellow band or, with less than 13 gallons of fuel in each main tank.' Each main fuel tank has an unusable amount of fuel of 3 gallons.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 7,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV NV at 9:30 pm
- Destination: TVL Lake Tahoe CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 86°F (30°C)
- Observation at 9:56 pm from RNO, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.