# Accident 19980221001559A: Beech 95B55, Sutter, CA, February 21, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 21, 1998, 16:40 local time
- Place: Sutter, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.0499° N, 121.6090° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0499&lon=-121.6090&mi=10
- Aircraft: N67623, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N67623-1998-09-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (registry code 1152706, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 95B55
- Reported engine: CONT IO470L
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 914 total, 148 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA091) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980221001559A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98FA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA091), Feb 22, 1998: Beech 95-B55 (N67623), Sutter, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

## Other reports on N67623 (1)

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

- [Incident 19870823057959I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870823057959I), Aug 23, 1987: Beech 95B55 (N67623), Bakersfield, CA, Minor damage. Diverted with nose gear partialy extended. Landed on the mains. Actuating rod was broken.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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