Beech 23-A24R accident near Modesto, California, June 7, 1996
On June 7, 1996 at about 3:30 am local time, a Beech 23-A24R, registered N102KB, was destroyed in an accident near Modesto, California (Modesto City-County Field). 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
fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1996 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Modesto, California · Modesto City-County Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23-A24R · all 23-A24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N102KB · no longer on the register · serial MC-45
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the pilot was on climbout when the engine suddenly quit and he was forced to make an emergency landing. He said he had taken off with half fuel and had flown with the fuel boost pump switch in the on position. An aircraft mechanic examined the accident aircraft and found approximately 3 ounces of fuel at the left tank drain valve and an additional 0.5 gallon at the right tank drain valve. He also found about two drops of fuel in the fuel injection servo, but there was no fuel at the firewall line fitting. The fuel selector was in the off position. He said that it is a common practice for fire department personnel to turn the fuel selector off after an aircraft is involved in an accident. He did not observe any evidence of fluid leaks or discontinuity in the fuel system.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,244 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1995; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MOD at 3:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 3,459 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 am from MOD
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.