Beechcraft F33A N3813U

Summary

On 25 July 1991 at about 17:40 local time, a Beechcraft F33A registered N3813U, operated by Ricky L. Fosnight, was involved in an accident near Earp, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 July 1991 at 17:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Earp, California, United States

Coordinates

34.1499, -114.3298

Aircraft

Beechcraft F33A

Registration

N3813U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ricky L. Fosnight

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Parker → Fullerton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91FA329

4 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING DURING A LOW PASS, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: LACK OF ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT HOME, A FRIEND OF THE PILOT ASKED ONE OF THE PILOT'S THREE PASSENGERS TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF HIS RESIDENCE. THE PILOT AGREED TO FLY BY THE FRIEND'S RESIDENCE WHILE HIS PASSENGER PHOTOGRAPHED IT. WHILE FLYING, THE PILOT INITIALLY STAYED BETWEEN 150 AND 500 FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE TERRAIN. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TRAVELING SLOWLY. SECONDS AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED BY THE SPECIFIED RESIDENCE, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP LEFT TURN WITH A REPORTED ANGLE OF BANK BETWEEN 75 AND 90 DEGREES. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE PITCHED DOWNWARD, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IT CRASHED INTO THE MARSH-LIKE AREA ADJACENT TO THE NEARBY RESORT COMMUNITY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.