Beech A36 accident near Brawley, California, June 29, 1992
On June 29, 1992 at about 2:30 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N1794W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brawley, California. It was a business 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
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE PILOT'S; 1) FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT, 2) IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND 3) HIS DELAYED POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO A TANK CONTAINING FUEL. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THE PROCEDURES SPECIFIED IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1992 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Brawley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1794W · registry record · serial E380
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT 4,000 FEET DESCENDING TOWARD THE AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY RAN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK DRY, THEN SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK. THE PILOT COULD NOT AFFECT AN ENGINE RESTART AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A PLOWED FIELD ABOUT 2 MILES SHORT OF THE AIRPORT AND ENCOUNTERED SOFT EARTH WHICH SHEARED THE LANDING GEAR OFF THE AIRCRAFT, DAMAGING THE WINGS. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED LESS THAN 1 GALLON WHILE THE LEFT TANK HELD 10 GALLONS. EACH OF THE FUEL TANKS HOLDS 40 GALLONS TOTAL. THE FLIGHT MANUAL FOR THE AIRCRAFT CAUTIONS AGAINST TAKEOFFS, LANDINGS OR MANEUVERING WITH LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF FUEL IN THE TANK SELECTED. THE FUEL PICK UP PORTS WERE NOTED TO BE IN THE REAR CORNER OF EACH FUEL TANK. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS FUNCTIONALLY TESTED WITH NO ABNORMALITY IN SYSTEM FUNCTION FOUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE TWO TRIPS BETWEEN BRAWLEY AND SAN DIEGO WITHOUT REFUELING THE AIRCRAFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,598 hours in all; 986 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,598 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,871 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1992; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 1:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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 LAX92LA270.