Beechcraft F33A N3133W

Summary

On 28 March 2008 at about 23:15 local time, a Beechcraft F33A registered N3133W was involved in an accident near San Diego, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 March 2008 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

San Diego, California, United States

Nearest airport

Montgomery Field (MYF)

Coordinates

32.8156, -117.1394

Aircraft

Beechcraft F33A

Registration

N3133W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ramona → San Diego

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08LA088

1 person had minor injuries.

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's improper use of the mixture control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that she had leaned the mixture during cruise flight; however, she did not adjust the mixture setting prior to initiating an approach to landing. While on final approach to the runway, the engine lost power. The pilot advanced the throttle with no change in engine performance. The airplane landed hard in an open area just short of the approach end of the runway and impacted a ditch during the landing roll. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the firewall sustained substantial damage. The engine remained attached to the airframe by all its mounts. The engine was started and ran normally through various power settings. No anomalies were noted with the engine or airframe. The Pilot's Operating Handbook normal procedures state to enrich the mixture as required for descent and before landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.