Beech F35 accident near Sandy Valley, Nevada, February 7, 1993
On February 7, 1993 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Beech F35, registered N4255B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandy Valley, Nevada. 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 FAILURE TO PERFORM A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, AND TO ASSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THIS SUBSEQUENTLY LED TO AN INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY IN THE LEFT TANK, AND FUEL STARVATION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 1993 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sandy Valley, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F35 · all F35s on the register
- Registration
- N4255B · no longer on the register · serial D4259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE OPERATOR CHECKED THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL LEVEL BEFORE THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT, IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, SAID HE WAS 'CHECKED OUT' IN THE AIRCRAFT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BY THE FORMER OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT TOOK OFF TO FLY THREE MILES TO HIS RANCH. THE ENGINE QUIT AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH THE RANCH. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING AND LANDED 50 FEET SHORT OF A ROAD. THE OWNER INSPECTED THE LEFT TANK AND SAID THE TANK WAS 'BONE DRY.' THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NOT CHANGED OR SWITCHED TANKS. HE SAID THE GAUGE SHOWED 1/2 FULL.
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: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,687 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from LAS, 35 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.