Beech B200 accident near Coalinga, California, January 14, 2017
On January 14, 2017, a Beech B200, registered N795DE, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Coalinga, California (Agro-West airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2017
- Place
- Coalinga, California · Agro-West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B200 UNDESIGNAT · all B200s on the register
- Registration
- N795DE · no longer on the register · serial BB-1510
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll on a narrow runway about 70 to 80 knots, he noticed that the engines were not at full power. He advanced the throttles "a little further," but when he did so, the left main landing gear dropped off the left side of the runway into soft mud. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the runway to the left, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane stopped in the mud. The fuselage and engine firewalls sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,700 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 9,300 as pilot in command; 102 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 5, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W PT6A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W PT6A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Optimal Aviation Services
The flight
- Departed from: 5CA7 Five Points CA
- Destination: VIS Visalia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of Operator) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.