Beech A36TC accident near Santa Ana, California, October 3, 1982
On October 3, 1982 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N66909, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ana, California (John Wayne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1982 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ana, California · John Wayne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N66909 · no longer on the register · serial EA-49
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER HE HAD RAISED THE GEAR DURING TAKEOFF. HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO AVOID A STALL AND LANDED GEAR-UP AT AND OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. REPORTEDLY, TOWER PERSONNEL OBSERVED BLACK SMOKE TRAILING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COWLING. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER, A RATED PILOT, REPORTED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE NEEDLE WAS PEGGED TO THE HIGH LIMIT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL FLOW NEEDLE HAD GONE FROM THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION (36 GPH) TO ABOUT THE 10 TO 11 O'CLOCK POSITION. THERE WAS A HISTORY OF FUEL PRESSURE DISCREPANCIES. THREE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENTS WERE DOCUMENTED IN THE AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS. A CHECK OF THE FUEL PUMP REVEALED DISCREPANCIES IN THE FUEL PRESSURE AND FUEL FLOW, BUT THESE INVOLVED LOW OUTPUT RATHER THAN HIGH OUTPUT.
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: 2,914 hours in all; 958 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 2,584 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 503 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Crown Development Company
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 10:44 am
- Destination: OXR Oxnard CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 165°F (74°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 am from SNA
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.