Beech 36 accident near Hayward, California, May 18, 1993
On May 18, 1993 at about 2:49 am local time, a Beech 36, registered N7687N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hayward, California (Hayward Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 inadequate preflight inspection of the aircraft and his failure to ensure that adequate fuel existed in the fuel tanks to be used.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1993 · about 2:49 am local time
- Place
- Hayward, California · Hayward Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N7687N · registry record · serial E-94
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE TOOK OFF ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 3,000 FEET. THE ENGINE QUIT JUST AFTER THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS TURNED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BERM SHORT OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE ATTEMPTED POWER OFF FORCED LANDING. FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS ABOUT HALF FULL AND THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED LESS THAN ONE GALLON. AFTER JACKING UP THE NOSE AND REPLACING THE PROPELLER, THE INSPECTOR RECONNECTED THE AIRCRAFT BATTERY, TURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE RIGHT TANK, AND STARTED THE ENGINE. DURING THE ENGINE RUN, ALL POWER PLANT GAUGES WERE READING IN NORMAL RANGES. FUEL SYSTEM CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT DID NOT SPECIFY HOW HE QUANTIFIED THE FUEL IN EACH TANK PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
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: 1,330 hours in all; 985 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,265 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,440 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 1992; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWD CA at 2:30 am
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28L, 5,024 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.