Piper PA-31-350 accident near Arcata, California, May 20, 1989
On May 20, 1989 at about 8:48 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N35479, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arcata, California (Arcata airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND IMPROPER FUEL TANK SELECTOR POSITION. THESE RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION TO BOTH ENGINES WHEN THE AUX TANKS RAN DRY AND THE MAINS HAD FUEL REMAINING IN THEM. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED WHEN THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1989 · about 8:48 am local time
- Place
- Arcata, California · Arcata · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N35479 · no longer on the register · serial 31-8052024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ESTABLISHED ON AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART EITHER ENGINE AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE AUX TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE MAIN FUEL TANKS CONTAINED AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY AND WERE RUPTURED IN THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATING OFF OF THE AUX TANKS PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINES.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,288 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 189 in the last 90 days; 83 in the last 30 days; 2,998 as pilot in command; 1,623 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northern Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 6:10 am
- Destination: EKA Eureka CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 1,000 ft; ovct at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:10 am from ACV, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N35479 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.