Beech A36TC accident near Paradise, California, August 22, 1988
On August 22, 1988, a Beech A36TC, registered N1830R, was destroyed in an accident near Paradise, California (Paradise airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETERMINED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S APPREHENSION IN UNDERTAKING THE APPROPRIATE EMERGENCY ACTIONS TO ATTEMPT AN AERIAL RESTART. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND INADEQUATE TRAINING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1988
- Place
- Paradise, California · Paradise · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N1830R · no longer on the register · serial EA256
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SUSTAINED A LOSS OF ENG POWER WHILE THE PLT WAS LEVELING THE ACFT AT 9,500 FT. THE PLT STATED HE WAS AFRAID TO ATTEMPT AN AERIAL RESTART DUE TO FEAR OF DAMAGING THE ENG. THE PLT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON A 60 DEG ROCKY SLOPE ABOUT 500 FT SHORT OF A FLAT GRAVEL AND MUD SAND BAR. THE PLT LACKED DOCUMENTED EMERG PROCEDURE TRAINING AND BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE FUEL INLET FITTING WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY A MASS OF 'SLUDGE'; HOWEVER, THE BYPASS FITTING WAS UNRESTRICTED. NO OTHER FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WITH EITHER THE ENG OR ACFT WAS NOTED.
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: 510 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 377 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,057 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1987; 132 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O05 Chester CA
- Destination: CCR Concord CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 1,990 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from CIC, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.