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19980221001559A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Beech 95B55 · Sutter, CA · February 21, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
February 21, 1998 · 16:40 local
Place
Sutter, CA
Phase of flight
Scud Running
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N67623
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98FA091
Reported as
Beech 95B55
Reported engine
Continental IO470L
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
914 total148 in this make and model19 in the last 90 days
N67623Registration cancelled Sep 14, 1998 · Beech 95-B55 (T42A)S/N TC876Airframe modelBeech 95-B55 (T42A)

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The instrument rated pilot departed chico and flew in a southerly direction toward the destination. The flight path was reconstructed using recorded radar data and ground witness observations. The pilot maintained a cruise altitude between 700 and 900 feet MSL and initially was cruising below the clouds. The ceiling lowered, and the pilot reversed course. The pilot entered the base of the clouds, lost visual reference to the ground, and cruised into the upsloping mountainous terrain of Sutter buttes, impacting about 780 feet MSL. Prior to the flight the pilot, who had been visiting his daughter, indicated to her that if the weather became inclement he would reverse course and return to chico. At 1101, the pilot received a weather briefing, which indicated that instrument meteorological weather conditions (IMC) including icing, existed along the planned route of flight home, and the pilot delayed his departure. The pilot received additional briefings at 1315 and 1518, and both indicated IMC continued to exist. The pilot's logbook indicated he last flew under IMC 9 months previously, and he had not maintained instrument flying currency. No evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction was found during the examination of the airplane. (-23) pilot and passenger fatally injured when their aircraft impacted elevated terrain in the Sutter buttes, during cruise flight. Aircraft was operating too low. (-23) pilot & passenger fatally injured when their aircraft impacted elevated terrain in the Sutter buttes, during cruise flight. Aircraft was operating too low.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED CHICO AND FLEW IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION TOWARD THE DESTINATION. THE FLIGHT PATH WAS RECONSTRUCTED USING RECORDED RADAR DATA AND GROUND WITNESS OBSERVATIONS. THE PILOT MAINTAINED A CRUISE ALTITUDE BETWEEN 700 AND 900 FEET MSL AND INITIALLY WAS CRUISING BELOW THE CLOUDS. THE CEILING LOWERED, AND THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE. THE PILOT ENTERED THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS, LOST VISUAL REFERENCE TO THE GROUND, AND CRUISED INTO THE UPSLOPING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF SUTTER BUTTES, IMPACTING ABOUT 780 FEET MSL. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT THE PILOT, WHO HAD BEEN VISITING HIS DAUGHTER, INDICATED TO HER THAT IF THE WEATHER BECAME INCLEMENT HE WOULD REVERSE COURSE AND RETURN TO CHICO. AT 1101, THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING, WHICH INDICATED THAT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL WEATHER CONDITIONS (IMC) INCLUDING ICING, EXISTED ALONG THE PLANNED ROUTE OF FLIGHT HOME, AND THE PILOT DELAYED HIS DEPARTURE. THE PILOT RECEIVED ADDITIONAL BRIEFINGS AT 1315 AND 1518, AND BOTH INDICATED IMC CONTINUED TO EXIST. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED HE LAST FLEW UNDER IMC 9 MONTHS PREVIOUSLY, AND HE HAD NOT MAINTAINED INSTRUMENT FLYING CURRENCY. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE. (-23) PILOT AND PASSENGER FATALLY INJURED WHEN THEIR AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ELEVATED TERRAIN IN THE SUTTER BUTTES, DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING TOO LOW. (-23) PILOT & PASSENGER FATALLY INJURED WHEN THEIR AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ELEVATED TERRAIN IN THE SUTTER BUTTES, DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING TOO LOW.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98FA091Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportSutter, CAThe pilot's in-flight decision(s) to attempt VFR flight in instrument meteorological conditions at an altitude which did not provide for adequate terrain clearance requirements. A factor that contributed to the accident was the pilot's decision to disregard…Feb 22, 1998 · Destroyed

Other reports on N67623 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19870823057959ILevel Off Touchdown · Bakersfield, CADiverted with nose gear partialy extended. Landed on the mains. Actuating rod was broken.Aug 23, 1987 · Minor damage