# Accident 19990218013629A: Beech 95B55, Coalinga, CA, February 18, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 18, 1999, 17:45 local time
- Place: Coalinga, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1898° N, 120.3909° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1898&lon=-120.3909&mi=10
- Aircraft: N125TW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N125TW-2017-04-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (registry code 1152706, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 95B55
- Reported engine: CONT IO470L
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 2,500 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99FA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA104) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990218013629A

## Narrative

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

ON FEBRUARY 18,1999, ABOUT 1745 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 95-B55, N125TW, WAS DESTROYED IN AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEAR COALINGA, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE NEAREST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY IS 33 MILES TO THE EAST; HOWEVER, LOCAL AREA RESIDENTS REPORTED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH RAIN AND WIND EXISTED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, AT 1649 ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS DESTINED FOR FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECEIVING VFR ADVISORIES FROM OAKLAND ARTCC. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST FROM RADIO AND RADAR COVERAGE AT 14,500 FEET MSL, ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE PANOCHE VOR. SEARCH EFFORTS WERE INITIATED AND THE WRECKAGE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND FEBRUARY 19 NEAR SANTA RITA PEAK ABOUT 3,500 FEET MSL. THE GPS COORDINATES OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE 36 DEGREES 23.75 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE BY 120 DEGREES 38.01 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM THE SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT THE PILOT PURCHASED 58.0 GALLONS OF FUEL AND OBTAINED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RANCHO MURRIETA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION FOR THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE BRIEFING VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. AIRMETS FOR TURBULENCE AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION WERE IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA WITH PILOT REPORTS OF ICING IN THE FRESNO AREA. (.4)THE PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD FLOWN TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR DENTAL WORK TO BE PERFORMED ON THE PILOT.  ON THE RETURN TRIP THEY WERE RECEIVING VFR ADVISORIES FROM ATC.  THEY WERE MAINTAINING VFR ON TOP AT 14,500 FEET MSL.  A VOICE THOUGHT TO BE THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS A RATED PILOT, TRANSMITTED 'WE'RE IN BIG TROUBLE UP HERE' FOLLOWED BY OTHER INCOMPLETE OR UNREADABLE TRANSMISSIONS.  THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST FROM RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT.  THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.  THE AIRPLANE HAD COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE.  THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO FLIGHT, AND VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED.  A FORMAL WEATHER STUDY INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE MOST LIKELY FLEW INTO CLOUDS.  CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING IN CLOUDS AT THE A                                                             IRPLANE'S FLIGHT ALTITUDE. THE TIME WAS 11 MINUTES BEFORE OFFICICAL SUNSET IN CLOUDY CONDITIONS.

## 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 LAX99FA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA104), Feb 19, 1999: Beech 95-B55 (N125TW), Coalinga, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's inadvertant visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions.

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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