Beech 95-B55B accident near Calera, Alabama, December 5, 1992
On December 5, 1992 at about 1:01 am local time, a Beech 95-B55B, registered N7479N, was destroyed in an accident near Calera, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT WITH THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR HANDLES IMPROPERLY POSITIONED, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND ENGINE STOPPAGE. FACTORS WERE THE CLOUDY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND THE STEEP, HILLY TERRAIN CONDITIONS (A QUARRY) AT THE CRASH SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 1992 · about 1:01 am local time
- Place
- Calera, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55B · all 95-B55Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7479N · no longer on the register · serial TC-1226
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND 5 PASSENGERS WERE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. NIGHT, IMC PREVAILED. SHORTLY AFTER THE FLIGHT BEGAN A DESCENT FOR LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD AN 'ENGINE OUT'. HE THEN FOLLOWED UP BY SAYING THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE 'CUTTING OUT'. WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS TO A CLOSER AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF A DEEP ROCK QUARRY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND FIRE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVES WAS IN THE 'AUX' TANK POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT CHECKLIST STATES THAT THE AUXILIARY TANKS ARE TO BE USED IN LEVEL FLIGHT ONLY. A TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION OF THE ENGINES AND COMPONENTS DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 842 hours in all; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,014 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 30, 1992; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Gene Stewart, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GNV Gainesville FL at 10:53 pm
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.