Beech A36 accident near Livermore, California, August 29, 1984
On August 29, 1984 at about 1:56 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N2876W, was destroyed in an accident near Livermore, California (Livermore Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was 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
- August 29, 1984 · about 1:56 am local time
- Place
- Livermore, California · Livermore Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N2876W · no longer on the register · serial E-483
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS DURING HIS PRE-FLT & ESTIMATED 10-20 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING IN BOTH THE LEFT & RIGHT TANKS. HE SAID THAT THE START, TAXI & RUN-UP WERE PERFORMED WHILE USING THE RIGHT RANK. HE REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL GAGE READING SUDDENLY WENT TO ZERO, BUT HE SUSPECTED A FAULTY FUEL GAGE READING. NEVERTHELESS, HE SAID HE SELECTED THE LEFT TANK FOR TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKING OFF, THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 200 FT AGL WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT SAID HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED, SO HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK & LANDED GEAR DOWN IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. AN EXAM REVEALED THERE WAS 12 TO 15 GALLON REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK. THE RIGHT TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY. NO PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: 996 hours in all; 398 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 796 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,542 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1983; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TVL S. Lake Tahoe CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:05 am from LVK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.