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WPR23LA262

2023-07-08 · Shelter Cove, California, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 0Q5

Current FAA registration · N9520Y

Make / Model
BEECH P35
Year of manufacture
1962 · 61 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR I0-470 SERIES (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19620710
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AD3E84

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not located and recovered.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he departed with 74 gallons of fuel onboard for the flight of about 84 nm. After an uneventful flight the pilot selected the runway that was favored by prevailing winds. He then extended the landing gear and reduced power while the airplane was on the downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern over the ocean. The pilot encountered a partial loss of engine power as he turned to the base leg and the airplane began to descend from 800 ft above ground level. He performed emergency procedures for a loss of power from memory, but the engine continued to run at low power. Unable to maintain altitude, the airplane impacted the ocean and sank. The pilot and passenger, who were both seriously injured, egressed the airplane and swam to shore. Subsequent efforts to locate and recover the airplane were unsuccessful. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft power plant-Power plant-(general)-Unknown/Not determined

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_WPR23LA262.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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