Beech 76 accident near Truckee, California, January 17, 2003
On January 17, 2003 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N5400M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the CFI to ensure that the pilot under instruction adequately understood the engine out procedure during the preflight planning phase of the flight; failure of the pilot under instruction to obtain/maintain directional control; and the inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action of the CFI during the engine out procedure. The pilot under instruction's misunderstanding of the engine out procedure was a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2003 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N5400M · registry record · serial ME-30
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway and struck a snow bank off the left side of the pavement. The CFI briefed on an engine out procedure prior to takeoff and told the student he was going to fail the left engine. However, the pilot under instruction (PUI) did not fully understand the procedure. He believed that the engine failure would happen when they were in the air and not on the ground. During the takeoff roll, the CFI simulated the engine out by pulling the left mixture. However, the PUI did not pull the throttles to idle as briefed. He was surprised when the airplane started to veer to the left during the takeoff roll. He fixated on the rudder controls, and did not reduce engine power on the right engine. Both pilots stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,775 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,555 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 710 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 632 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 690 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2002; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,916 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Palo Alto Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 4:45 pm
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from RNO, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.