Beech C24R accident near Santa Cruz Is., California, January 10, 1997
On January 10, 1997 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Beech C24R, registered N18892, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Cruz Is., California. 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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1997 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Cruz Is., California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N18892 · no longer on the register · serial MC-513
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the engine's power reduced to near idle while cruising at 9,300 feet msl over the Pacific Ocean. This was accompanied by a tremendous engine related vibration. There was no evidence of an oil leak, and the propeller continued to rotate. The pilot further reported that he switched fuel tanks and checked the magnetos, but engine power was not restored. The pilot ditched the airplane in the ocean and swam about 1/2 mile to shore. There were no life preservers onboard. The airplane has not been recovered. The U.S. Coast Guard subsequently reported that the water's depth was about 192 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: 185 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 1996; 160 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°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.