Boeing A75N1 accident near Santa Rosa, California, April 20, 2013
On April 20, 2013 at about 5:27 pm local time, a Boeing A75N1, registered N985SS, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Santa Rosa, California. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to fuel contamination and partially blocked fuel screens.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2013 · about 5:27 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75N1 · all A75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N985SS · registry record · serial 75-3431
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While joining up in formation flight with a second airplane, the pilot reduced engine power to slow his airplane. When he subsequently tried to increase the engine power, he noticed no response from the engine. The pilot stated that the engine was still running; however, the adjustment of the throttle control and the electric fuel boost pump did not alter the engine's power setting. The pilot performed a forced landing to a vineyard, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the main fuel system screen contained a fuzzy, spongy material along with other debris. The throttle body screen also contained small debris particles. Debris was also found in fuel that was removed from the lower fuel tank. It is likely that the debris within the fuel system restricted fuel flow to the engine and limited the power output. The source of the debris was undetermined.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Fuel related during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,582 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2013; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Petaluma CA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Petaluma CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from STS, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR13LA212.