Beech 65 accident near Pioneer, California, June 30, 1991
On June 30, 1991 at about 4:11 pm local time, a Beech 65, registered N713JB, was destroyed in an accident near Pioneer, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY THE PILOT, WHEN HE INADVERTENTLY SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE AFTER ENCOUNTERING A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE'S #6 EXHAUST VALVE SEAT BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE #6 EXHAUST VALVE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1991 · about 4:11 pm local time
- Place
- Pioneer, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65 · all 65s on the register
- Registration
- N713JB · registry record · serial LC-35
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A BEECH 65 COLLIDED WITH TREES IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER AN INFLT LOSS OF CONTROL. A PILOT OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE START A TURN TO THE RIGHT, ROLL RIGHT AND CONTINUED UNTIL INVERTED AND ENTER INTO A SPIN. THE ACFT WAS IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHEN IT BEGAN ITS PULL; OUT. THE ENGINES WERE HEARD BY A GROUND WITNESS WHO INITIALLY MISTOOK THEM FOR AN APPROACH MOTORCYCLE. THE PILOT INITIALLY FLEW THE ACFT 45 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND LOGGED 3.5 DUAL INSTRUCTION HOURS. THERE WAS NO RECORD IN THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK OF ANY ADDITIONAL FLT TRNG SINCE THE INITIAL FLT. THE PLT SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED A BFR IN A CESSNA 150 FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DSCLSD THE RT ENG HAD BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE, BUT THE LEFT PROP WAS FEATHERED. THERE WERE NO PREEXISTING MECH MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES FOUND WITH THE LEFT ENG.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,830 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,958 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 1990; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,700 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-480-A16A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MOD Modesto CA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: TVL S Lake Tahoe CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.