# NTSB LAX04LA074: Beech B55, N20480, Angwin, CA, December 20, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 20, 2003, 15:50 local (23:50 UTC) - Place: Angwin, CA - Coordinates: 38.606666, -122.216392 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6067&lon=-122.2164&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 58530 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04LA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58530/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA074 ## Probable cause The pilot's continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions during cruise flight, which resulted in a low fuel state and a precautionary landing in rough terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - flight into adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - rain - Miscellaneous/other, cruise - fluid,fuel - low level (contributing factor) - Forced landing, emergency landing - precautionary landing - initiated, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - rough/uneven ## Analysis The private pilot reported he made a precautionary landing in an open field due to a low fuel state and weather. He had attempted to land at an airport, but elected to divert from the airport environment and find another area to land at. During the landing in the field, the airplane encountered rough/uneven terrain, and received structural damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane or engine. ## Factual narrative On December 20, 2003, at 1550 Pacific standard time, a Beech B55 twin-engine airplane, N20480, made a precautionary landing due to a low fuel situation in an open field near Angwin, California. During the landing the airplane encountered soft dirt, and the landing gear was sheared off. The private pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot and one passenger were not injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the majority of the cross-country flight that departed the Lake Havasu City Airport (HII), Lake Havasu City, Arizona, at 1245 mountain standard time. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the Placerville Airport (PVF), Placerville, California, and a flight plan had not been filed. Sacramento, California, elevation 27 feet mean sea level (msl), is located about 060 degrees at 33 nautical miles from the accident location. Weather conditions reported in the Sacramento area were: winds out of the east between 5 and 7 knots; visibility 2 to 3 miles with mist; overcast ceilings from 600 to 700 feet; temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit; and dew point of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Santa Rosa, California, elevation 125 feet msl, is located about 240 degrees at 26 nautical miles from the accident location. Weather conditions reported in the Santa Rosa area were: winds from the west at 4 knots; visibility 1 1/2 miles in rain showers and mist; broken cloud layers between 600 and 800 feet, and 1,000 and 1,500 feet; overcast ceilings between 1,700 and 2,000 feet; temperature of 52 degrees Fahrenheit; and dew point of 52 degrees Fahrenheit. A Safety Board investigator interviewed the pilot, who stated that the purpose of the flight was to visit friends in the PVF area. Prior to the flight the pilot received a weather briefing from Prescott Automated Flight Service Station (PRC AFSS). The briefer told the pilot that the weather was clear for his route of flight. About 50 miles outside of PVF the weather started to deteriorate. The pilot contacted PVF UNICOM, who told him that the weather was "zero, zero." At that point he decided to divert to Sacramento. He received a special visual flight rules (SVFR) approach to the Sacramento airport. The pilot stated that at that time there were a lot of radio calls. He was uncomfortable with the approach, so he aborted the landing. He informed the tower controller that he was going to go to an alternate airport. The pilot contacted Travis approach and told them he was diverting toward the Oakland, California, area. When he was over Oakland, he saw a hole in the clouds. He informed Travis that he was going to go through the hole in the clouds. The pilot stated that the airplane was getting low on fuel, and it had started to rain heavily. His intent was to look for a place to make a precautionary landing. He over flew the Angwin area near Lake Berryessa for 40 minutes before he found an open field. On the landing rollout the airplane crossed over a wash. While crossing the wash, the wheels were caught in the soft dirt, and the landing gear sheared off. The airplane came to rest upright. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane or engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20480](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20480-2009-05-08), registration cancelled 2009-05-08, S/N TC-1862, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech B55 - Registry model: [Beech 95-B55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55) (registry code 1152705) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-520-series) (registry code 41584, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TC1862 - Airframe hours: 3645 - Engines: Continental IO-520-E 285 horsepower reciprocating; Continental IO-520-E 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Dean Messmer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 3, 2003, 40 hours before - Departed: HII, LAKE HAVASU CIT, AZ - Destination: PVF, Placerville, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 3,600 total, 500 in this make and model, 25 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 15 knots, gusting 21 - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: APC, 25 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031220034089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031220034089A), Dec 20, 2003: Beech 95B55, Lake Berryessa, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) The flight originated from lake havasu, AZ, and was to terminate at placerville, CA (pvf). The flight was planned for VFR enroute, the weather… ## Other investigations on N20480 (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 LAX08FA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08FA092), Apr 3, 2008: Beech 95-B55 (N20480), Benson, AZ, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudged speed and altitude during approach that led to a long landing and his subsequent failure to maintain control during an attempted go-around. Contributing to the accident were the… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.