Cessna 340A accident near Truckee, California, February 17, 1991
On February 17, 1991 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N5350J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO FOLLOW THE CORRECT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHEN HE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE PROBLEMS AND IMPROPERLY USED THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS CONTRARY TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK. THE INITIAL CAUSE OF THE ENGINE SURGING COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1991 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N5350J · no longer on the register · serial 340A0968
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE DESCENT TO THE HIGH ALTITUDE AIRPORT THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE. THE PILOT RESET THE POWER AND MIXTURE CONTROLS BUT TO NO AVAIL. WHEN ON THE BASE LEG TO THE RUNWAY THE PILOT TURNED ON BOTH FUEL PUMPS, CONTRARY TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY AND THE PILOT APPLIED POWER TO BOTH ENGINES, BUT NONE AVAILABLE. THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE WAS INSUFFICIENT AND THE AIRPLANE UNDERSHOT THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH ABOUT A 3 FOOT HOLE COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. SUBSEQUENT ENGINE RUN TESTS COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE INITIAL SURGING DUE TO LIMITATIONS OF THE TEST CLUB, BUT WITH THE MIXTURE RICH AND BOTH BOOST PUMPS ON HIGH, BOTH ENGINES QUIT.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,224 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 2,913 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 640 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1991; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IZA Santa Ynez CA at 4:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from TRK, 1 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.