Single-engine plane crashes near Chumash Casino

December 28, 2020

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Three people and a dog survived a single-engine plane crash near Chumash Casino Resort and Santa Ynez Airport Sunday evening.

Shortly after 6 p.m., the plane carrying a pilot, two passengers and a dog went down in a field south of Chumash Casino and west of the airport, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. No one was injured in the crash.

The plane reportedly had mechanical issues.

A flight log shows the single-engine Beechcraft 35 Bonanza was flying from Lompoc to Santa Ynez on Sunday.

Fire personnel and sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene following the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigation the crash.


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Aw, man, a V-tail Bonanza and it’s all wrecked. Darn.


“A flight log shows the single-engine Beechcraft 35 Bonanza was flying from Lompoc to Santa Ynez on Sunday.”


Actually, the ADS-B flight logs show that the Bonanza took off from Lompoc and initially flew several hundred miles towards the vicinity of Lake Havasu before turning back. It was on this return leg back to Lompoc when it crashed after already having overflown Santa Ynez airport, although the track looks like it may have started a turn back to Santa Ynez for an emergency landing.


In any case, great news that all on board walked away from this one. Huge kudos to the pilot for being able to set it down in the dark on terrain that allowed everyone to make it out ok.


Having made that same flight many times, depending on winds that could have been fairly close to max range especially if fuel wasn’t 100% topped off. Sad to see another old Bonanza destroyed, but thankfully everyone was OK.


He flew for just under 4 hrs. Range on a V-tail at low altitude, unknown at the moment, but probably around 4 hours.

My guess is the thing ran out of fuel near Santa Ynez, ton his way to Lompoc, tried to land with no engine, at night, toward the west, and over shot the rwy.

Good job, overall. Did not crash into the lobby of the casino, and did not kill or injure anyone. Actually, if the scenario is correct, great job!!! The old Bonanza can be replaced…. Move on…

Any landing you, and everyone else, walks away from is a good landing…… Off to the boneyard for the V-Tail. There are more where it came from….