Beech 77 accident near Long Beach, California, February 22, 2002
On February 22, 2002 at about 8:54 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N38026, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of directional control due to the pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2002 · about 8:54 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N38026 · registry record · serial WA-202
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During rollout from a touch-and-go landing on runway 25L, the airplane veered left, exited the runway, and collided with a fence. According to the student pilot, his landing had been normal, but when he retracted the wing flaps he observed the airplane veering left of course. Despite his efforts, he was unable to regain directional control. The student pilot indicated that during the mishap he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane. The accident occurred during the student pilot's second solo flight in the airplane. Two minutes after the accident the local wind was reported at 200 degrees. Its speed was 6 knots.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 49 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,189 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 2001; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,680 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hart Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25L, 5,420 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from LGB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX02LA089.