Beech A35 accident near Hilt, California, March 30, 1991
On March 30, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech A35, registered N584B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hilt, California. It was a personal 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
THE APPLICATION OF A SEALANT INSTEAD OF A LUBRICANT TO THE INTERNAL 'O' RINGS SEALS IN THE FUEL SELECTOR BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO SELECT A FUEL SOURCE AND FUEL STARVATION THAT RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FAILURE. ROUGH TERRAIN AT THE LANDING SITE WAS ALSO A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hilt, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A35 · all A35s on the register
- Registration
- N584B · registry record · serial D1603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A SEALANT BY THE NAME OF 'FUELUBE' WAS SUBSTITUTED FOR A LUBRICANT FOR THE 'O' RINGS SEALS IN THE FUEL SELECTOR/MANUAL FUEL PUMP DURING MAINTENANCE. THE PILOT STATED THAT 10 OPERATIONAL HOURS AFTER THE APPLICATION OF 'FUELUBE' HE EXPERIENCED BINDING IN THE FUEL SELECTOR WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE TANKS AND THE HE WAS UNABLE TO FEEL THE DETENT POSITION. HE ATTEMPTED TO CHANGED FUEL TANK WHILE ON ACROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND THE ENGINE FAILED FROM FUEL STARVATION. HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN, ROCK STREWN, FIELD THAT IMPARTED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGED TO THE AIRCRAFT DURING TOUCH DOWN.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 5,300 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E255-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: MFR Medford OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:50 pm from SIY, 15 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.