Beech A36 accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California, August 21, 1994
On August 21, 1994 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N36DY, was substantially damaged in an accident near So. Lake Tahoe, California (South Lake Tahoe airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff when the performance deficiency first became apparent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1994 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- So. Lake Tahoe, California · South Lake Tahoe
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N36DY · registry record · serial E-340
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF FROM RUNWAY 18 AT 50 FEET HE ENCOUNTERED A WINDSHEAR CONDITION AND A DOWNDRAFT. CONCURRENT WITH THE WINDSHEAR CONDITION, THE STALL WARNING HORN ACTIVATED AND THE AIRCRAFT CEASED TO CLIMB. THE PILOT SAID HE TRIED ONCE MORE TO GET THE AIRCRAFT TO ACCELERATE TO A SAFE GEAR AND FLAP RETRACTION SPEED AND CLIMB; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT TO CLIMB OVER TREES AND HIGHER TERRAIN BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO OVERRUNNING THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 8,544-FOOT-LONG RUNWAY AND COLLIDING WITH AN AIRPORT BOUNDARY FENCE. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE FOR THE TAKEOFF IN A 90-DEGREE CROSSWIND CONDITION WAS COMPUTED AT 8,700 FEET.
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: 281 hours in all; 188 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 135 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,794 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVL at 8:25 pm
- Destination: WVI Watsonville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 8,544 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:26 pm from TVL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.