Beech 35-C33 accident near Mesquite, Nevada, October 19, 2003
On October 19, 2003 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Beech 35-C33, registered N9438S, was destroyed in an accident near Mesquite, Nevada (Mesquite, Nevada airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation due to the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and fuel system management, and failure to select a fuel tank containing fuel. Also causal was the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2003 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Mesquite, Nevada · Mesquite, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-C33 · all 35-C33s on the register
- Registration
- N9438S · registry record · serial CD-1004
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with terrain about 100 yards from the airport boundary fence at the approach end of runway 19. One of the airplane's owners completed a 1.4-hour flight with the certified flight instructor (CFI) immediately before the accident flight. He started with 30 gallons in each main tank and 6 gallons in each tip tank. He said that they burned fuel out of the left main tank during the flight at a rate of about 13 gallons per hour. He left the fuel selector valve on the left main tank. After the owner's flight with the CFI, he observed the pilot under instruction and the CFI do a walk around inspection of the airplane. He did not see them refuel. After a ground briefing, they did a 15- to 20-minute run up before taking off. Based on the airplane's performance charts, the estimated time from the departure point to the accident site was 30 minutes. Based on the owner's historical fuel consumption, the estimated minimum fuel consumed on the accident flight would have been 7 gallons in addition to the estimated 19 gallons used by the owner on the previous flight. The left wing did not burn; however, the left main tank had been compromised in the impact sequence. Fire consumed the right wing and its associated fuel tanks. The propeller exhibited minimal damage, consistent with either no power or idle power at ground impact. The airplane had a single throw over control yoke, and it was to the left side. The landing gear was down, and the flaps were in the full down position. The fuel selector valve was on the left main tank. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were identified during the wreckage examination.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,890 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 288 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,615 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2002; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,060 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HND Las Vegas NV at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 67L Mesquite NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from SGU, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.