Beech 95-B55 accident near Mesa, Arizona, July 10, 2002
On July 10, 2002 at about 2:14 am local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N812D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). 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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions, and failure to maintain an appropriate airspeed for the gusts, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2002 · about 2:14 am local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N812D · registry record · serial TC-1839
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control of the airplane during gusty wind conditions resulting in a hard landing and collapse of the right main landing gear. The pilot called the control tower at his destination airport and obtained weather information. The pilot learned that a dust storm had passed through the area just prior to his departure for the 30-minute flight. The pilot obtained several wind updates upon his arrival at the destination airport. As the airplane crossed the runway threshold, the pilot reduced power at 110 mph, and the airplane "fell from the sky." The airplane bounced back into the air, and the pilot attempted to abort the landing, to no avail. The airplane impacted the runway again and eventually came to rest in dirt adjacent to the runway. The wind condition at the airport at the time of the accident consisted of crosswind gusts of 26 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,746 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 1,665 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,190.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2002; 5.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAN Payson AZ at 1:45 am
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22L, 5,102 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 18 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 2:14 am from FFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.