Beechcraft V35B N7337R

Summary

On 30 December 1995 at about 20:04 local time, a Beechcraft V35B registered N7337R was involved in an accident near Delano, 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

30 December 1995 at 20:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Delano, California, United States

Nearest airport

Delano Municipal (DLO)

Coordinates

35.7793, -119.2300

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35B

Registration

N7337R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cottonwood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96FA086

4 people died.

Failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft during an IFR circling approach. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's lack of instrument flight experience in high performance aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During arrival, the Beech V35B pilot was cleared for a VOR runway 32 approach. At about the time he was beginning the final approach, the pilot commented that he was experiencing some disorientation. A vector was provided to correct back to course, and the pilot continued the approach. While in a circling maneuver at the conclusion of the approach, the airplane was observed to be flying in the base of clouds. A witness reported that the airplane pitched up abruptly into the clouds, and then it appeared out of the clouds in a steep dive that continued until impact. The weather was estimated near minimums for the approach. After purchasing the Beech V35B, the pilot had completed a 15 hour high performance (VFR) checkout on 10/26/95. His instructor recommended that after getting additional experience in the Beech V35B, he get an instrument checkout in the high performance airplane; instead, he took an instrument proficience check in a Piper PA-28.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.