- Date
- February 20, 1988, 15:14 local (23:14 UTC)
- Place
- Big Bear City, CA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1461LBeech A23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880220004369A
- Case key
- 25811
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The passenger told friends that the pilot was going to perform some aerobatic maneuvers near the lodge where they were staying. The other residents in the lodge reported that the airplane flew very low over the house and proceeded towards the east. After reaching the eastern side of the valley, the pilot executed a 180 deg right turn towards the lodge. When the airplane was about 1000 yards east of the lodge, the pilot pulled the airplane into a near vertical climbing attitude and entered into what was described by the witnesses as a hammerhead stall type maneuver. The airplane then pitched dnward. Before reaching trees, it appeared the nose was coming up but the airplane disappeared behind the treeline. Shortly thereafter the witnesses heard a muffled impact sound and then saw a fireball emanating from behind the treeline. The investigation dscld no evidence of any airplane preimpact malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1461L
- Reported as
- Beech A23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M856
- Engine
- Continental IO-346A, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sanford, Dale R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- L35 · Big Bear City, CA
- Destination
- L35
- Airport
- L35
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,002 total · 945 as pilot in command · 56 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1461L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.