Beech 35-A33 accident near Alturas, California, August 25, 2005
On August 25, 2005 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Beech 35-A33, registered N337Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alturas, California (Alturas Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undertermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2005 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Alturas, California · Alturas Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-A33 · all 35-A33s on the register
- Registration
- N337Z · no longer on the register · serial CD-228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain and a fence during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. According to the pilot, he checked the fuel tanks prior to departing on the flight and noted that the right main fuel tank was full, the left main tank was "partial", both auxiliary tanks were full and the tip tanks were empty. He flew the airplane to the destination airport utilizing the left fuel tank. As the flight neared the destination airport, the pilot switched the fuel tank selector from the left to the right tank. The engine began sputtering and lost power. The pilot turned on the fuel boost pump but the engine power did not improve. During the forced landing at the destination airport, the airplane landed short, bounced in the air and impacted a fence before coming to rest. According to a mechanic who examined the airplane after the accident, the left main fuel tank was empty and the right main fuel tank was almost full.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,955 hours in all; 185 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 3,734 as pilot in command; 680 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,615 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2004; 240 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SIY Montague CA at 2:05 pm
- Destination: AAT Alturas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,301 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.