- Date
- March 26, 1988, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Maria, CA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8855MBeech D95A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880326006469A
- Case key
- 25816
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for the loss of power in the left engine and to maintain control of the aircraft.
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
ATCT controllers reported that the initial ground roll, rotation and lift off seemed normal. As the aircraft passed the tower cab at about 80 ft AGL, it was seen to 'appreciably slow and yaw to the left just like a practice engine cut' the controllers had seen on prior occasions. Witnesses saw the aircraft level off momentarily then begin a climb. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft began a left turn, continued to roll to a near inverted attitude and dove into the ground. Investigation revealed that the left prop was at the low pitch stop at impact. The aircraft was totally consumed by the post crash fire and the reason for the engine failure could not be determined. Records indicated that the pilot had flown 32 hours in the past 15 months and that the last emergency training was two years before.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8855M
- Reported as
- Beech D95A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TD591
- Airframe hours
- 3,495
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-B1B, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Van Valin, William B.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 7, 1987 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- SMX · Santa Maria, CA
- Destination
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Airport
- runway 30, 6,300 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 70
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,070 total · 855 in this make and model · 2,015 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SMX
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 N8855M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.