Beech S-35 accident near Avalon, California, May 27, 1992
On May 27, 1992 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech S-35, registered N5874S, was destroyed in an accident near Avalon, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
1) IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING, 2) THE PILOTS SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE WHICH PUT THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY IN AN AREA OF RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND FOG AFTER LIFTOFF, 3) THE PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS, AND 4) HIS FAILURE TO SELECT A PROPER INITIAL ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1992 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Avalon, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech S-35 · all S-35s on the register
- Registration
- N5874S · no longer on the register · serial D-7759
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OBTAINED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE 30 MINUTE FLIGHT FROM CATALINA ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND AT LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER AT THE PRIVATE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, THE PILOT STATED TO HIM THAT HE HAD AN IFR CLEARANCE ON FILE, BUT HE MIGHT GO VFR ON RUNWAY 4. THE PILOT THEN TAXIED OUT TO RUNWAY 22 AND CALLED ON THE UNICOM READY FOR DEPARTURE. THE MANAGER GAVE THE PILOT THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND WIND THEN THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED. THE MANAGER STATED THAT THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS SKY OBSCURED WITH AN INDEFINITE CEILING. HE SAID THE VISIBILITY FOR RUNWAY 22 WAS .25 OF A MILE WHILE THE VISIBILITY FOR RUNWAY 4 WAS 1 MILE. THE PILOT NEVER OPENED HIS FLIGHT PLAN. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ABOUT AN HOUR LATER BY A MOTORIST ABOUT ONE HALF MILE NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT AND ABOUT 100 FEET BELOW THE RUNWAY ELEVATION. THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS MEASURED TO BE ABOUT 358 DEGREES MAGNETIC. GROUND SCAR MEASUREMENTS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS IN A RIGHT 10 DEGREE BANKED TURN IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT IMPACT.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Marin Pilots Association
The flight
- Departed from: AXV Santa Catalina CA at 8:29 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.