Beech B55 accident near Angwin, California, December 20, 2003
On December 20, 2003 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Beech B55, registered N20480, was substantially damaged in an accident near Angwin, California. It was a personal 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
The pilot's continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions during cruise flight, which resulted in a low fuel state and a precautionary landing in rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 2003 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Angwin, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B55 · all B55s on the register
- Registration
- N20480 · no longer on the register · serial TC1862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported he made a precautionary landing in an open field due to a low fuel state and weather. He had attempted to land at an airport, but elected to divert from the airport environment and find another area to land at. During the landing in the field, the airplane encountered rough/uneven terrain, and received structural damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane or engine.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 2003; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HII Lake Havasu Cit AZ at 7:45 pm
- Destination: PVF Placerville CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,500 ft; scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from APC, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N20480 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.