Mechanical & Engine Failure · NTSB WPR09LA050
BEECH A36 — Coalinga, CA
| Date | December 1, 2008 |
| Location | Coalinga, CA |
| Aircraft | BEECH A36 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Landing Off-field or emergency landing |
| Pilot age | 56 |
| Pilot total time | 2,259 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 251 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Engine (reciprocating)-(general)-Failure - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Light condition-Dark-Effect on operation
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Fog-Effect on operation
What happened
The pilot reported that after an uneventful night cross-country flight, he established visual contact with the area of his intended destination and started a descent towards the airport. The pilot stated that due to a layer of fog over the airport, he diverted to an alternate airport equipped with an instrument approach and initiated a climbing left turn. Shortly after, the engine lost power and the pilot altered his course to the nearest airport, and conducted his emergency checklist. Despite numerous attempts, the engine would not restart. The pilot further stated that upon realizing he would not be able to make the airport, he set up for an off-field landing with the flaps and landing gear retracted. During the emergency descent, visibility was limited due to a layer of fog. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard in an open field and came to rest upright. First responders reported that thick fog in the area at the time of the accident hampered the search and rescue operation while locating the downed airplane. The engine was removed from the airframe and installed on a test stand. The engine was started and ran smoothly at an idle speed before the engine was shut down using the mixture control cutoff. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were noted with examination of the recovered airframe and engine that would have precluded normal operation.