Beech 95-B55 accident near Mayhill, New Mexico, January 28, 1997
On January 28, 1997 at about 3:10 am local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N47SM, was destroyed in an accident near Mayhill, New Mexico. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees and terrain. Factors were the mountainous terrain, the snow obscuring the visibility, the dark night illumination, and the pilot's fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1997 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Mayhill, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N47SM · no longer on the register · serial TC-775
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The outboard portion of the right wing of the twin engine airplane impacted a pine tree in mountainous terrain during a night cross country flight. About 12 minutes prior to the accident, while 49 miles short of their intermediate destination, the pilot reported picking up ice at 9,500 feet MSL and reported that he was diverting to El Paso. ATC granted the frequency change to El Paso; however, no further radio calls were received. At 2005, a witness near the accident site, reported hearing the airplane flying at 'tree top level over his house' on a southeast direction. He stated that a low ceiling prevailed, the temperature was just above freezing and snow flurries restricted his visibility. Witnesses traveling on a gravel road adjacent to the accident site reported the lights of the airplane flying at tree top level prior the crash. The auxiliary fuel cell for the right engine was compromised by the initial collision with the pine tree and the 3 remaining tanks were destroyed by post-impact fire. Both fuel selectors were found in the AUX position. No discrepancies were found that would have prevented normal operations. The pilot had accumulated 7.5 hours of flight within the last 12 hours.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,843 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,474 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 30, 1996; 41 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
The flight
- Departed from: GYR Goodyear AZ
- Destination: ROW Roswell NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.