Beechcraft V35B N65Y

Summary

On 25 December 2022 at about 00:53 local time, a Beechcraft V35B registered N65Y was involved in an accident near Livermore, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 December 2022 at 00:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Livermore, California, United States

Nearest airport

Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK)

Coordinates

37.6951, -121.8019

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35B

Registration

N65Y

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

WPR23LA077

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s inadvertent use of the mixture control instead of the throttle, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot planned on remaining in the traffic pattern for night flight. Shortly after takeoff, while on the upwind leg of the traffic pattern, the cabin door opened; the pilot stated that he slowed the airplane by using the throttle. He added that it was dark and that he could not see the instruments, but he could see the engine control knobs. The pilot realized the airplane was descending toward a building when he heard the tower controller say “climb, climb, climb.” The pilot then “pushed the throttle in.” The airplane continued to descend and impacted a building. Additionally, the pilot added that due to the dark conditions, he may have mistakenly pulled the mixture control knob to slow the airplane down instead of using the throttle. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Continuity of the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls was established from the cockpit to their respective control arms. Examination of the throttle revealed the throttle knob was about 1 inch from full forward, the mixture control was about 2 inches from full forward, and the propeller controller lever was about ½ inch from full forward. The pilot likely inadvertently manipulated the mixture to a lean position instead of the pulling back on the throttle, which resulted in the reduction of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.