A pilot who crash-landed near the Santa Ynez Airport last month experienced mechanical troubles in flight, leading to the unplanned touch-down in a field.
About 6:15 p.m. Dec. 27, a pilot and two passengers escaped injury in an accident involving a Beechcraft Bonanza 35 airplane, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Shortly after the crash, Santa Barbara County firefighters said the three occupants — plus a dog aboard the plane — had no injuries.
The plane ended up in a field south of the Chumash Casino Resort, at 3400 Highway 246, and Sanja Cota Avenue, and west of the airport, fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said.
The NTSB’s preliminary report about the incident revealed that the pilot had departed with approximately 32 gallons of usable fuel.
En route to Lompoc, the pilot altered the plane’s course slightly to avoid inclement weather, taking the aircraft 1 mile north of the Santa Ynez Airport.
About 17 miles from Lompoc, the pilot switched the fuel selector from the right main tank — an indicator had claimed it was close to empty — to the left main tank — reportedly slightly less than half full, according to the NTSB.
“As he manipulated the selector handle, the engine rpm decreased to what appeared to be idle power. Concerned that he was not able to get the handle into the detent, the pilot placed the selector back on the right tank,” the preliminary report said.
The detent is the slot to keep the selector handle in place.
“The pilot elected to perform a 180-turn and land at Santa Ynez because it was closer in proximity,” the preliminary report stated. “He attempted to troubleshoot the reduced rpm, and despite his efforts, was unable to restore the engine power. The airplane could not maintain altitude, and the pilot performed a forced landing short of runway 08.”
The preliminary report said the flight departed from Lake Havasu, Ariz.
The Beechcraft Bonanza 35, a fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft with a V-tail, was built in the 1950s.
The plane, registered to Robert Rich of Lompoc, sustained substantial damage in the unplanned landing.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.