Beech C35 accident near Rancho Santa Fe, California, May 12, 2005
On May 12, 2005 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Beech C35, registered N709D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rancho Santa Fe, California. 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
failure of the engine driven fuel pump due to the improper overhaul procedure of the fuel pump by an overhaul facility, and the use of parts that did not meet hardness specification.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2005 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Rancho Santa Fe, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N709D · no longer on the register · serial D-2981
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a loss of engine power, the pilot made a forced landing in an open field and collided with two fences. The FAA inspector who responded to the accident site reported that fuel was in the fuel tanks. A visual inspection of the engine revealed no obvious mechanical failures. Investigators made unsuccessful attempts to run the engine; it would start, but would not remain running. The engine driven fuel pump was removed and investigators noted that the mating splines in the drive shaft were severely worn. A review of the engine logbook revealed that a field overhauled engine and an overhauled fuel pump had been installed on the airframe about a year prior to the accident; an annual inspection had been completed at the time of the engine installation. The owner reported a total of 149.38 hours of operation since the annual inspection. An FAA approved repair station had overhauled the fuel pump. The fuel pump was submitted to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory for further examination. A senior metallurgist observed wear and metal flow on the square key portion of the fuel pump shaft. There was no evidence of cracking or wear of the drive gear splined teeth. The metallurgist manually rotated the fuel pump and was able to achieve only intermittent engagement between the square key and corresponding slot. A Rockwell Hardness Test (C-scale; HRC) of the gear was conducted. The hardness specification for the gear was between 50-52 HRC. Initially the gear results for the HRC were below acceptable limits and a Rockwell B (B-scale; HRB) test was performed with an average hardness of 94.5 HRB. Laboratory personnel determined that the gear had a cadmium coat, and conducted another test after removal of the cadmium coat. The HRC tests were performed with an average gear hardness of 40 HRC. The FAA issued a suspected unapproved part notification (UPN No. 2004-00053) regarding the overhaul/repair procedure of the accident fuel pump. Teledyne Continental Motors issued a Service Instruction Letter (SIL) SIL06-2 notifying owners and operators of the FAA's issuance of UPN No. 2004-00053.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 549 hours in all; 251 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 513 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,864.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2004; 149.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 54CL Anza CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
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.