Beech D-45 accident near Lake Berryessa, California, May 29, 1999
On May 29, 1999 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech D-45, registered N20869, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Berryessa, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to a loose adjustment nut on the engine driven fuel pump that allowed for a decrease in fuel flow and fuel pressure, and the subsequent failure of the electric fuel boost pump due to loose bearings decreasing fuel flow and fuel pressure to sustain engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1999 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Berryessa, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-45 · all D-45s on the register
- Registration
- N20869 · no longer on the register · serial BG-100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to fly over the lake with the intent of viewing the lake and surrounding area. The lake is 10 miles from the airport. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight the pilot noted a loss of fuel pressure followed by a rough running engine. He believed that the engine driven fuel pump had failed. He engaged the electric boost pump and the fuel pressure came back on-line and engine ran normally. The pilot decided to return to the airport to make a precautionary landing. He again noted that the fuel pressure gage needle began to move sporadically and the engine began to run rough and subsequently lost power. He made an unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine utilizing the in-flight engine failure checklist and subsequently ditched the airplane in the lake. No discrepancies were noted with the flight prior to the loss of engine power. The fuel system was inspected with no foreign debris found. A functional check was performed on the electric boost pump and no fuel flow output was observed; however, during the test the pump shorted out. Both the engine driven fuel pump and electric boost pump were sent out for further tests. Two functional checks were conducted on the engine driven fuel pump. An adjusting nut on the engine driven fuel pump allows for an increase or decrease in fuel flow. The first test was completed in the as-received condition with the adjusting nut loose. The results were consistently low, but fuel flow output was observed from the pump. The adjusting nut was then readjusted to overhaul specifications for the second functional check. The check revealed that the fuel flow was within overhaul specifications. During the teardown of the electric boost pump, it was noted that the bearings were loose allowing the pump vanes to rub up against the throat of the pump, decreasing fuel flowing through 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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,650 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,478 as pilot in command; 385 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,169 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1999; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Travis Afb Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: 8Q0 Travis Afb CA at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from APC, 17 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX99LA202.