Beech A36 accident near San Diego, California, May 6, 1999
On May 6, 1999 at about 2:50 am local time, a Beech A36, registered N6034X, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (San Diego-Lindbergh Field). It was a business 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
The pilot's failure to maintain a visual lookout while taxiing resulting in the aircraft's colliding with a runway sign. Contributing factors were dusk light conditions, the sign, and the pilot's diverting his attention to aircraft instrumentation during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1999 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · San Diego-Lindbergh Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N6034X · registry record · serial E-1477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed at dusk and made a 90-degree turn off the runway onto a taxiway. Thereafter, while proceeding at less than 5 miles per hour, he again turned right, entered an oval area short of the desired taxiway, and collided with a runway sign. The pilot indicated to responding officials that the collision occurred while he was looking at instruments.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,682 hours in all; 4,261 in this make and model; 202 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 7,420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,931 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1999; 56 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: RAL Riverside CA at 2:10 am
- Destination: SAN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 9,400 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from SAN
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.