Beechcraft V-35 N630AW
12 November 1993 · Shaver Lake, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 12 November 1993 at about 19:17 local time, a Beechcraft V-35 registered N630AW, operated by Gary L. MC COY, was involved in an accident near Shaver Lake, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 19:17
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Shaver Lake, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 37.1301, -119.2192
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft V-35
- Registration
- N630AW
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Gary L. MC COY
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- San Jose → Death Valley
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX94FA048
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
An in-flight breakup of the airplane following the pilot's continued VFR flight into IMC conditions during which directional control of the airplane was not maintained, and the design limits of the airplane were exceeded. The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions that consisted of mountain wave activity and standing lenticular clouds were factors in the accident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHERE AREAS OF RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WERE REPORTED. AIRMETS HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR TURBULENCE, MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION, AND ICING CONDITIONS. SATELLITE IMAGES REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF STANDING LENTICULAR CLOUDS. A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS NOT OBTAINED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. NO VOICE COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND NO IN-FLIGHT SERVICES WERE BEING PROVIDED BY THE FAA. RADAR DATA INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL MANEUVERING TURNS AND A RAPID DESCENT BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP AND WAS SCATTERED OVER A 3/4-MILE AREA. A TRAJECTORY STUDY INDICATED THAT THE LOCATION OF THE SEPARATED AIRPLANE COMPONENTS WAS CONSISTENT WITH A BREAKUP ALTITUDE OF 14,000 FEET.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft V-35 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft V-35 | Minden, Nevada, United States | Sanford Friezner | Serious injuries | - |
| 28 Mar 1991 | Beechcraft V-35-A | Superior, Arizona, United States | Aaron C. Bornstein | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Oct 1997 | Beechcraft V-35 | Medford, Oregon, United States | Robert R. Francis | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Feb 1988 | Beechcraft V-35 | Fernandina Bch, Florida, United States | Alexander G. Clark | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jan 1987 | Beechcraft V-35 | Palm City, Florida, United States | Albert G. Rogers | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Mar 1981 | Beechcraft V-35 | Daytona Beach, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Jul 1993 | Cessna 310H | Lancaster, California, United States | Yehiem Konski | Fatal | 6 |
| 14 Nov 1993 | Cessna 182 | Colusa, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1993 | Cessna 172P | Sun City, California, United States | Hiser Helicopters, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 31 Jul 1993 | Robinson R44 | El Monte, California, United States | Benjamin F. Venti, SR. | Fatal | 3 |
| 17 Nov 1993 | Piper PA-38-112 | Fresno, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 1993 | Beechcraft A35 | Tulare, California, United States | Rent and Lease Programs | Fatal | 2 |