Beech A36TC accident near Bakersfield, California, November 27, 1986
On November 27, 1986, a Beech A36TC, registered N6750L, was destroyed in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Meadows Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- November 27, 1986
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Meadows Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N6750L · no longer on the register · serial EA-83
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, THE STUDENT PLT & INSTRUCTOR (CFI) MADE AN ILS LOW APCH TO RWY 30R. DRG A GO-ARND (MISSED APCH)A TWR CTLR OBSVD A 'LIGHT TRACE OF SMOKE' EMANATING FM THE ENG EXHAUST. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT 'BANKED HARD TO THE LEFT AND APPEARED TO STALL.' SUBSEQUENTLY, IT IMPACTED THE GND IN APRX A 20 DEG NOSE DWN, SLIGHTLY LEFT WING LOW, ATTITUDE. IMPACT OCCURRED APRX 1000' SE FM THE DEP END OF RWY 30R. THE FUSELAGE & INBRD WING SECTIONS WERE BADLY BURNED.MINIMAL ROTATIONAL DMG WAS FND ON THE PROP/PROP SPINNER. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND DRG AN EXAM OFTHE WRECKAGE. HOWEVER, THE 3 PSN, AUX FUEL BOOST PUMP SW (INSTALLED IAW AD 87-08-05 & BEECH SB 2033) WAS FND IN THE HI BOOST PSN. THE RESPECTIVE FUEL TRUCK HAD BEEN DRAINED FOR MAINT BFR SAMPLES COULD BE OBTAINED. MAINT PSNL NOTED PARTICU-LATE IN THE FUEL, BUT NONE WAS FND IN THE ACFT FUEL SCREENS. AFTER MINOR REPAIRS, THE ENG STARTED & OPERD NORMALLY. THE FLT MANUAL PROHIBITS USE OF HI BOOST, EXCEPT WHEN THE ENG DRIVEN PUMP FAILS AS EVIDENCED BY ZERO FUEL FLOW.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,940 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,060 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1986; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 11:59 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 9,100 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.