Beech E33 accident near Parlier, California, January 28, 1989
On January 28, 1989 at about 1:55 am local time, a Beech E33, registered N8403N, was destroyed in an accident near Parlier, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION TO CONTINUE TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AFTER ENCOUNTERING A RESTRICTIONOF FUEL FLOW FROM THE RIGHT TANK AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION WHEN THE LEFT TANK EMPTIED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE BLOCKED FUEL VENT AND A DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1989 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- Parlier, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E33 · all E33s on the register
- Registration
- N8403N · no longer on the register · serial CD-1168
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPG ON A FLT FROM SAN DIEGO TO FRESNO, THE PLT VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FUEL TANKS & BOTH WERE FULL. HE TOOK OFF AT ABOUT 1515 PST USING THE LEFT TANK. HE RPRTD THAT OVER THE SEAL BEACH AREA, HE SELECTED THE RIGHT TANK. APRX 2 MIN LATER, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH & HE NOTED A DROP IN FUEL PRESSURE. HE THEN RESELECTED THE LEFT TANK & THE ENG RETURNED TO NORMAL OPN. OVER THE LAKE HUGHES AREA, HE MOMENTARILY SELECTED THE RIGHT TANK AGAIN & EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME, HE BELIEVED THERE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK TO CONTINUE TO FRESNO. HOWEVER, WHEN THE ACFT WAS ON ARRIVAL AT THE ALTTA INTXN (IAF FOR THE ILS RWY 29R APCH), THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT SELECTED THE RIGHT TANK, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LNDG IN AN OPEN AREA, BUT AFTER ROLLING APRX 100 TO 150 FT, THE ACFT HIT A DITCH & WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY & THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL. A FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK VENT TUBE WAS OBSTRUCTED WITH INSECTS & DEBRIS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,556 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1988; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,060 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDM San Diego CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: FAT Fresno CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from FAT, 6 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.