Beechcraft 35 N818S

Summary

On 4 September 2020 at about 18:48 local time, a Beechcraft 35 registered N818S, operated by Nepinsky Brian C, was involved in an accident near Three Rivers, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 September 2020 at 18:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Three Rivers, California, United States

Coordinates

36.4019, -118.6133

Aircraft

Beechcraft 35

Registration

N818S

Category

Airplane

Year built

1970

Engines

1

Operator

Nepinsky Brian C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Visalia → Needles

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20LA295

2 people died.

The pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while operating in conditions of reduced visibility due to smoke.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger departed on a visual flight rules cross-country flight into an area of reduced visibility due to wildfire smoke. An alert notice was issued when the airplane did not arrive at the destination, and the wreckage was located the following day in mountainous terrain at an elevation about 9,500 ft mean sea level. No anomalies were noted with the airplane during post-accident examination. Impact signatures and wreckage dispersion were consistent with the pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while operating in conditions of reduced visibility due to smoke.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.