Beech 19A accident near Newport Beach, California, November 22, 2010
On November 22, 2010 at about 1:44 am local time, a 1968 Beech 19A, registered N6064N, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Newport Beach, California (John Wayne-Orange County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2010 · about 1:44 am local time
- Place
- Newport Beach, California · John Wayne-Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 19A, built 1968 · all 19As on the register
- Registration
- N6064N · no longer on the register · serial MB-388
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross-country flight in dark night visual meteorological conditions, the pilot contacted the air traffic control tower and requested landing instructions/permission. About 5 minutes after the pilot initially contacted the tower controller, he transmitted and confirmed to the controller that the airplane had run out of fuel and that he was going to try to make it to the airport. The pilot was unable to reach the airport and subsequently landed the airplane in an ecological reserve in about 3 feet of water; the airplane came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. While several ounces of fuel were found in the carburetor bowl, no fuel was found in the main fuel line to the carburetor or in the wing fuel tanks, which contained ounces of water.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Water › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 479 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,624 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXL Calexico CA at 10:47 pm
- Destination: Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01L, 5,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from SNA, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 WPR11FA054.