Beech J35 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, July 19, 2001
On July 19, 2001 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Beech J35, registered N3014C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (Mccarran International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to comply with the airplane flight manual, resulting in fuel starvation and subsequent forced landing on rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2001 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Mccarran International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech J35 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N3014C · registry record · serial D5679
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On short final to runway 19 right at McCarran, the engine lost power, resulting in a forced landing on a dirt road approximately 1/4 mile from the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged when it landed hard in a 5- to 10-degree bank and skidded to a stop. The pilot had departed the El Monte airport on the left main tank. After burning 10.1 gallons from the left tank, he switched to the auxiliary tank over Baker, California, which is approximately halfway between El Monte and Las Vegas. He continued on the auxiliary tank for the remainder of the flight. The right tank was not used. As he approached the airport for landing, he verified that the fuel selector was in the auxiliary position, and believed that he should have had about 13 gallons remaining. The airplane was equipped with a Shadin fuel management system, indicating fuel flow, gallons used, and gallons remaining. The fuel management system data indicated that the airplane had used 19.6 gallons total, at a rate of 12.7 gallons per hour on average. The two main tanks hold 20 gallons of fuel each totaling 40 gallons, of which 34 are useable. The interconnected auxiliary tanks hold an additional 20 gallons. The fuel flow was set to 12.2 to 12.6 gallons per hour during the cruise portion of the flight. The fuel injection system returns about 10 gallons per hour of excess fuel. Fuel return lines are routed through the selector valve to each main cell; except for the auxiliary cells, fuel is returned to the cell from which it is drawn. The auxiliary cells return fuel to the left main cell only. The pilot had burned 10.1 gallons from the left main tank prior to switching to the auxiliary tank, and then an additional 9.4 gallons was used from the auxilliary tank. However, 19.4 gallons would have actually been withdrawn from the auxiliary tank. The additional fuel was routed to the left main tank, which was then filled back up to capacity. This left only 4/10 gallon in the auxiliary tanks, which is to be used in level flight only, and never for takeoff or landing.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 92 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,730.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 2000; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19R, 9,765 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 11:13 pm from LAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.