Beech F33A accident near Earp, California, July 25, 1991
On July 25, 1991 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N3813U, was destroyed in an accident near Earp, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A LOW PASS, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: LACK OF ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1991 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Earp, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N3813U · no longer on the register · serial CE-938
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT HOME, A FRIEND OF THE PILOT ASKED ONE OF THE PILOT'S THREE PASSENGERS TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIS RESIDENCE. THE PILOT AGREED TO FLY BY THE FRIEND'S RESIDENCE WHILE HIS PASSENGER PHOTOGRAPHED IT. WHILE FLYING, THE PILOT INITIALLY STAYED BETWEEN 150 AND 500 FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TRAVELING SLOWLY. SECONDS AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED BY THE SPECIFIED RESIDENCE, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN WITH A REPORTED ANGLE OF BANK BETWEEN 75 AND 90 DEGREES. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE PITCHED DOWNWARD, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IT CRASHED INTO THE MARSH-LIKE AREA ADJACENT TO THE NEARBY RESORT COMMUNITY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 760 hours in all; 550 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P20 Parker AZ at 5:24 pm
- Destination: FULL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.