Beech F-33A accident near Oro Valley, Arizona, February 12, 1990
On February 12, 1990 at about 6:03 pm local time, a Beech F-33A, registered N3SN, was destroyed in an accident near Oro Valley, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN PERFORMING LOW LEVEL AEROBATIC MANEUVERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1990 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Oro Valley, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F-33A · all F-33As on the register
- Registration
- N3SN · no longer on the register · serial CE 745
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE PERFORMING A LOW LEVEL AEROBACTIC MANEUVER AT ABOUT 400 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED DURING THE MANEUVER AND STRUCK THE CHIMNEY OF A RESIDENCE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. A CONSTRUCTION WORKER ON THE ROOF SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHEN HE FELL. NO EVIDENCE OF AIRPLANE/ENGINE MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,292 hours in all; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,751 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1989; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO 550B(4) (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 14,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from TUS, 21 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.
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.