Beech V35B accident near Friday Harbor, Washington, July 7, 1993
On July 7, 1993 at about 1:30 am local time, a Beech V35B, registered N4084S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Friday Harbor, Washington (Friday Harbor 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 AND POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1993 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Friday Harbor, Washington · Friday Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4084S · registry record · serial D-9729
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE DESCENT FOR LANDING. THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT AND AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON THE BEACH. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, IT WAS NOTED THAT SEVERAL GALLONS OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE IMPACT DAMAGED RIGHT WING QUICK DRAIN BEFORE THE DRAIN WAS PLUGGED APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES LATER. THE LEFT WING WAS INTACT. FUEL DRAINED FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK REVEALED THAT ONE-HALF GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED. DURING THE ENGINE INSPECTION, NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT DOES NOT RECALL AS TO WHICH FUEL TANK THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,636 hours in all; 2,206 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,558 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1993; 10 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: 3S2 Aurora OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from NUW, 18 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.