Beechcraft D95A N8855M

Summary

On 26 March 1988 at about 20:30 local time, a Beechcraft D95A registered N8855M was involved in an accident near Santa Maria, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 March 1988 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Maria, California, United States

Coordinates

34.8205, -120.4097

Aircraft

Beechcraft D95A

Registration

N8855M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Maria → Santa Ynez

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX88FA134

3 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE AND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.