Beech G35 accident near Pacoima, California, July 6, 1991
On July 6, 1991 at about 8:23 pm local time, a Beech G35, registered N164N, was destroyed in an accident near Pacoima, California (Whiteman airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 1991 · about 8:23 pm local time
- Place
- Pacoima, California · Whiteman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N164N · registry record · serial D4602
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT & A PASSENGER WERE COMPLETING A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED CLEARANCE TO LAND, THEN THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE FINAL APPROACH SEGMENT TO THE RUNWAY WAS OVER A RESIDENTIAL & LIGHT INDUSTRIAL BUSINESS AREA. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE FLYING LOW & THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED NEAR THE TOP OF A STAINLESS STEEL STORAGE TANK, ABOUT 35 FT ABOVE THE GROUND, 800 FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY & 50 FT RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED & THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. AN EXAM OF THE FUEL SELECTOR REVEALED THAT IT WAS POSITIONED BETWEEN 'OFF' & THE RIGHT FUEL TANK POSITION. THIS POSITION WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY FUEL TO GO TO THE ENGINE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,733 hours in all; 540 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1991; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,775 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: WHP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,725 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from BUR, 4 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.
Other NTSB records under N164N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX91FA292.