Beech C24R accident near Cloverdale, California, October 22, 2004
On October 22, 2004, a Beech C24R, registered N18942, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cloverdale, California (Cloverdale airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation from the pilot's inadequate fuel system management and his delay in selecting the fullest fuel tank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2004
- Place
- Cloverdale, California · Cloverdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N18942 · no longer on the register · serial MC-549
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted vineyard crops during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The flight was intended to be a 30-minute trip between local airports. The pilot had the left fuel tank selected at the time of the power loss, and turned on the boost pump and selected the right fuel tank. The pilot was able to obtain a surge of power momentarily, but nothing more. He then setup for landing at the nearest airport. Upon noting his glide ratio would not allow them to reach the airport, he concentrated on landing in the vineyard. The airplane impacted the crops and was arrested by the crop trellis wires. Post-accident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have prevented its normal operation. The left fuel tank contained 1 gallon of fuel and 11 gallons were in the right fuel tank. When electrical power was applied to the system, the fuel gages read values consistent with the fuel quantities found in the tanks. The unusable fuel quantity for each tank is 1.3 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 320 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 280 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,338.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2004; 106.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O31 Healdsburg CA
- Destination: O48 Little River CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,155 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N18942 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.