On October 1, 2018, a Beech V35 (registration N7997M) was involved in an aviation accident near La Verne, CA. One person was killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during a visual approach for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction during the approach. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Beech V35, N7997M, was destroyed in a fatal accident near La Verne, California, on October 1, 2018, during a Part 91 personal flight. The pilot was killed by blunt force trauma.
Accident Overview and Flight History On October 1, 2018, at approximately 1150 Pacific daylight time, a Beech V35 airplane, registration N7997M, was destroyed in an accident near La Verne, California. The aircraft was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot, who had received 41.3 hours of dual instruction in the accident airplane make and model, was fatally injured. According to the pilot's family, he had flown to Bishop, California, and was returning to Brackett Field Airport (POC) in La Verne when the accident occurred. ## Air Traffic Control Communications FAA-provided air traffic control communications indicated that the POC tower controller instructed the pilot to perform a straight-in approach for runway 8R, which the pilot acknowledged. Approximately 19 seconds later, the controller advised the pilot of a Cessna one mile ahead inbound for runway 8L and cleared the accident pilot to land on runway 8R. The pilot confirmed the clearance and stated he was looking for the traffic. About 32 seconds later, when asked if he had the Cessna in sight, the pilot replied that he did not. The controller then informed the pilot that the traffic was for the north runway and should not be a factor. The pilot advised he would keep looking and stated he was “going to 8L.” The controller immediately responded, “negative, you are going to 8R, they are 8L,” to which the pilot responded, “I knew that.” About 47 seconds later, the pilot reported having the Cessna in sight and stated it was aligned with runway 8R. The controller verified with the Cessna pilot that the aircraft was landing on runway 8L, which the Cessna pilot confirmed. The controller then reconfirmed with the accident pilot that the accident airplane was cleared for runway 8R, and the pilot confirmed. About 20 seconds later, the controller asked if the accident pilot was landing 8R and instructed him to go around and offset his flight path to the right. No further communication was received from the accident airplane. ## Radar Data and Witness Accounts Recorded radar data showed both the accident airplane and the Cessna approaching the airport from the west, with the accident airplane behind the Cessna and horizontal spacing decreasing throughout the approach. The Cessna’s radar track indicated it was south of the runway 8L centerline until 1147:31, when it turned left/north to align with runway 8L. The accident airplane’s track showed it was mostly north of the runway 8R centerline until 1147:54, when it made a right/south turn toward the runway 8R centerline. At 1147:59, the accident airplane was aligned with runway 8L, then turned right toward runway 8R. The last radar return was about 2,150 feet west of the runway 8R threshold and about 1,648 feet west of the accident site at 1,000 feet mean sea level. Two witnesses, who were investigating an aircraft accident that had occurred the previous day, were located adjacent to the accident site. Both heard the sound of the airplane impacting trees before seeing it in a left-banking, nose-low attitude that progressively steepened before ground impact. A post-impact fire followed. ## Wreckage and Impact Information The first identified point of contact was a 50-foot-tall tree about 900 feet from the approach end of runway 8R and about 185 feet north of the runway centerline. The wreckage debris path was about 400 feet long and oriented on a heading of about 070° magnetic. A freshly cut tree limb was found about 146 feet beyond the first point of contact. Paint chips consistent with the airplane’s color were located about 319 feet from the first point of contact. About 30 feet beyond the paint chips was the propeller assembly and an impact crater about 2 feet wide and 4 feet long. Portions of the nose wheel landing gear door, engine cowling, and green right-wing navigation lens fragments were found about 364 feet from the first point of contact. The outboard 5 feet of the left wing was located about 370 feet from the first point of contact. The main wreckage was about 394 feet from the first point of contact, and the airplane came to rest upright on a heading of about 198°. The left aileron was found about 6 feet beyond the main wreckage. The fuselage from the rear seats forward was mostly consumed by fire, with fire damage to the instrument panel, instruments, front seats, and control column. The fuselage structure aft of the rear seats was mostly intact but buckled along the bottom sides. The left and right ruddervators remained attached to the empennage; the right ruddervator was undamaged with its trim tab attached, while the left ruddervator was displaced downward beyond full deflection and its trim tab was bent upward and disconnected from the trim tab control cable. The left wing remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited fire damage, with the flap appearing retracted and the left main landing gear extended. A majority of the wing structure was consumed by fire. The separated outboard portion of the left wing was fire damaged, with the tip tank attached and the leading edge just inboard of the tip tank buckled and bent. The aileron was separated and exhibited bending and buckling throughout its span. The right wing remained attached and was fire damaged, with the wing structure mostly consumed by fire. Remains of the flap and aileron were observed, the tip tank was partially attached, and the right main landing gear appeared extended. Control continuity was established throughout the main wreckage from the cockpit controls aft to the ruddervators and both aileron bellcranks. Two separations in the left aileron control cable appeared to have been cut by first responders. The left flap actuator measured 3 inches, equating to about 10° extended, and the ruddervator trim actuator measured 0.65 inches, equating to 20° nose down. The engine was separated from the airframe and exhibited thermal damage, with all six cylinders remaining attached. The starter and propeller were separated from the engine. Rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train, and thumb compression and suction were obtained on all six cylinders. Internal examination using a lighted borescope found all six cylinders unremarkable. The propeller was separated from the engine, with all three blades attached to the hub assembly, though one blade was loose within its mount. Blade A rotated freely and exhibited minor aft bending, leading edge polishing, and slight chordwise scratches near the tip. Blade B exhibited minor aft bending near the tip and chordwise scratches throughout the outboard half. Blade C was unremarkable. ## Medical and Pathological Information The County of Los Angeles Coroner performed an autopsy of the pilot, determining the cause of death to be multiple blunt force trauma. The FAA’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory conducted toxicology testing, which was negative for all tested-for substances.