Beech B 90 accident near Los Alamitos, California, February 18, 1985
On February 18, 1985 at about 3:09 am local time, a Beech B 90, registered N444SR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Alamitos, California (Los Alamitos airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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
- February 18, 1985 · about 3:09 am local time
- Place
- Los Alamitos, California · Los Alamitos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B 90 · all B 90s on the register
- Registration
- N444SR · no longer on the register · serial LJ416
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SIMULTANEOUSLY LOST PWR IN BOTH ENGINES AFTER THE LEFT FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE FUEL SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY WENT TO X-FEED AND THEN THE RIGHT FUEL PUMP FAILED. BOTH ENGINES QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY AFTER SURGING. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATEAN UNLIGHTED RWY AND MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A CITY STREET.DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE THE ACFT STRUCK SOME TREES, A PWR POLE AND PWR LINES. A SMALL AMT OF FUEL SPILLED AND NONE REMAINED ABOARD THE ACFT. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF KNOWING THAT THE WING TANKS WERE EMPTY AND FAILED TO VISUALLY INSPECT OR DIP THE NACELLE TANKS. TESTS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE LEFT NACELLE FUEL GAUGE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,970 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 2,970 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,800 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 30, 1984; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOA Torrance CA at 3:05 am
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from SNA, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.