Beech A36 accident near Palo Alto, California, February 9, 2001
On February 9, 2001 at about 10:12 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N3191A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto Arpt Of Santa Clara airport). 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 pilot-in-command's delayed decision to go-around and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the attempted go-around. His non-verification of the flap setting contributed to the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2001 · about 10:12 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto Arpt Of Santa Clara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N3191A · registry record · serial E3291
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane's right wing struck the ground and the airplane came to rest on the runway following a loss of control on an attempted go-around. The pilot had received 107.9 hours of dual instruction and was making his first solo flight in the airplane. The purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings. The pilot selected approach flaps on downwind but never checked their position. On short final, the pilot sensed his descent rate was too great and attempted a go-around. The airplane drifted towards the left and then rolled right continuing to descend until it struck the ground. Postcrash examination of the engine and propeller revealed impact damage that was consistent with the propeller having contacted the ground in a high airplane pitch attitude, and a propeller blade angle consistent with a "power on" condition.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 619 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 499 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 7, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 119 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 2000; 107 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,833 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-B17F/2 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from PAO
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.