Beech C35 accident near Susanville, California, February 16, 1993
On February 16, 1993, a Beech C35, registered N1844D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Susanville, California (Susanville airport). 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 PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S MISJUDGING HIS DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE AND THE PREVAILING LIGHT SNOW CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1993
- Place
- Susanville, California · Susanville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N1844D · registry record · serial D3141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAW THE RUNWAY WHEN THE FLIGHT WAS THREE MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. HE ENTERED A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN DURING LIGHT SNOW CONDITIONS. THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE RUNWAY DISTANCE AND THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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
- Flight time: 4,294 hours in all; 2,894 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4,294 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,232 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 1992; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOD Modesto CA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,050 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°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.
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.