Beech A36 accident near Kneeland, California, April 7, 1990
On April 7, 1990 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N3674B, was destroyed in an accident near Kneeland, California (Arcata airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF IFR PROCEDURES BY FAILING TO MAINTAIN THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE FOR THE SEGMENT OF THE APPROACH THAT HE WAS FLYING. THE HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1990 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Kneeland, California · Arcata · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N3674B · no longer on the register · serial E-1710
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE FROM SACRAMENTO TO ARCATA, CA, THE PLT CONTACTED ARTCC & FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. AS HE WAS APCHG THE DESTN AT 10,000', HE REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. HE WAS CLEARED TO DSCND TO 8000'. HE WAS THEN CLEARED FOR AN ILS RWY 32 APCH TO AN UNCTLD ARPT AT ARCATA WITH A RESTRICTION TO REMAIN AT 8000' UNTIL CROSSING THE YAGER INTXN. THE PLT BGN HIS DSCNT EARLY & CROSSED THE YAGER INTXN AT 6700. THE ACFT DSCNDD BELOW RADAR COVERAGE AT 5300'. RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & THE PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THE ARCATA FSS. HE CONTACTED THE FSS STATION & WAS ADZD THE WX WAS PARTIALLY OBSCD, 400' BKN, 1500' BKN, 2400' OVC, 3 MI VIS. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGE & SAID HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS AT 3200', THEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED & THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED ALONG THE ILS COURSE LINE ABOUT 18 MI SHORT OF THE RWY. IMPACT OCCURRED ON HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 2750'. THE MIN DSCNT ALT FOR THAT SEGMENT OF THE APCH WAS 5200'.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,365 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520=BB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Merle Stone Chevrolet, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Sacramento CA
- Destination: ACV Aracata CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:52 pm from ACV, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.