Beech S35 accident near Palo Alto, California, October 15, 1996
On October 15, 1996 at about 11:53 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N5642K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto 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
fuel starvation, due to the pilot's improper positioning of the fuel tank selector to an empty tank. Swampy terrain in the emergency landing area was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1996 · about 11:53 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N5642K · no longer on the register · serial 7399
- 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 he calculated that 60 gallons of fuel were onboard his airplane before taking off on the flight, and that fuel was located in the main and auxiliary tanks. En route, the pilot transferred all of the fuel from the tip tanks into the main tanks, and alternated using fuel from the main tanks. The pilot additionally reported that approaching Palo Alto, he repositioned the fuel selector toward the fullest tank. On final approach, all engine power was lost, and the pilot made a forced landing in a marsh area of the San Francisco Bay. The FAA coordinator reported that during examination of the airplane and surrounding marshland, no evidence of any oil or fuel leakage was found. The airplane was recovered, and its fuel tanks were found intact. The quantity of fuel observed in the left wing tip tank and the left main tank was 0.25 and 11.0 gallons, respectively. The quantity of fuel observed in the right wing tip tank and the right main tank was 0.75 and 0.50 gallons, respectively. During examination of the engine, no evidence of preimpact damage was found, and the engine was successfully test run.
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: 3,573 hours in all; 3,300 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 3,573 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1996; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRM Thermal CA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: PAO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from PAO, 2 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.