Beech C24R accident near Montague, California, October 27, 1984
On October 27, 1984 at about 6:30 am local time, a Beech C24R, registered N66342, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montague, California (Siskiyou County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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 27, 1984 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Montague, California · Siskiyou County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N66342 · no longer on the register · serial MC688
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PASTURE AND COLLIDED WITH A COW AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PLT SAID HE HAS NOTICED THE LANDING GEAR IN TRANSIT LIGHT COME ON AT ABOUT 10 MINUTE INTERVALS DURING THE FLT. HE SAID HE HAD NOTICED A RED FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE RT WING DURING HIS PREFLT. AT DESTINATION THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. THE IN TRANSIT LIGHT CAME ON BUT THE GEAR DOWN INDICATION DID NOT ACTIVATE. HE SAID HE TRIED TO ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION SYSTEM BUT COULD NOT OPEN THE COVER. HE MADE A RADIO CALL IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET HELP ON HOW TO OPEN THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION VALVE COVER. WHILE CIRCLING THE ACFT RAN OUT OF GAS. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION SHOWED A LEAK IN THE RT GEAR ACTUATOR. THE HYDRAULIC RESERVIOR WAS ALMOST EMPTY. THE PUMP WAS UNABLE TO BUILD UP PRESSURE TO EXTEND THE GEAR. THE 'O' RING WAS UNSEATED IN THE RIGHT ACTUATOR. THE EMERGENCY COVER WAS OPENED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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: 128 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,237 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 1984; 34 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: WLW Willows CA at 4:25 am
- Destination: 106 Dunsmuir CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.