Beech 35-33 accident near Apple Valley, California, November 15, 1996
On November 15, 1996 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Beech 35-33, registered N961T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apple Valley, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation, due to plugged fuel system vent lines, which resulted in loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1996 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-33 · all 35-33s on the register
- Registration
- N961T · no longer on the register · serial CD-157
- 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 while he was descending toward the Apple Valley Airport, the engine began to run rough, then it lost power. He was using the left auxiliary fuel cell at the time, and further reported that he immediately switched to the right main tank, which was the fullest. He was unable to obtain a restart, even by positioning the fuel selector to other tanks. As the aircraft neared the ground, the pilot attempted to land on a dirt road, but had insufficient altitude and landed in rough terrain. The aircraft collided with a berm during the landing sequence. Aircraft recovery personnel found about 23 gallons of fuel in the right main tank and 10 gallons in the left auxiliary. Both tanks were leaking fuel at the time. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right main tank. Postcrash inspection of the engine revealed no discrepancies. Inspection of the fuel system revealed that the left auxiliary fuel cell vent lines were plugged by insects and mud at two different internal locations.
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: 1,535 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,878 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1996; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HII Lake Havasu AZ at 7:00 pm
- Destination: APV CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 35 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from DAG, 30 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.