- Date
- June 30, 2024, 18:20 local (Jul 1, 2024, 01:20 UTC)
- Place
- Running Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6553RBeech B19
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240630008149A
- Case key
- 194597
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
The pilot’s decision to maneuver the airplane at a low altitude toward rising terrain, which exceeded the climb capability of the airplane.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he had flown toward rising terrain, however, waited too long to turn around as the airplane had a slow rate of climb. The pilot stated that he flew the airplane into terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6553R
- Reported as
- Beech B19
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MB-744
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 3,913
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 2024 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- REI · Redlands, CA
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 85
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 17, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 14,885 total · 10,137 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- KSBD, 13 nm away
- METAR
- KSBD 010051Z 25010G18KT 6SM FU HZ CLR 36/03 A2987
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.