Beech 76 accident near Shafter, California, February 28, 1985
On February 28, 1985 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N6705T, was destroyed in an accident near Shafter, California (Minter airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1985 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Shafter, California · Minter · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N6705T · no longer on the register · serial ME-305
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING A MULTI-ENIGNE TRAINING FLIGHT. A WITNESS STATED HE OBSERVED THE ACFT INITIATED A SINGLE ENGINE GO AROUND AT ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND THAT IT YAWED TO THE LEFT AS FULL POWER WAS APPLIED TO THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED WITH WINGS LEVEL AND NO PITCH UP OR DOWN MOVEMENT UNTIL IT STRUCK THE TOP OF A SINGLE STORY CEMENT BUILDING APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS WEST OF THE RUNWAY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,610 hours in all; 154 in this make and model; 142 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 6,928 as pilot in command; 2,793 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 826 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 8, 1984; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1G6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,250 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from BFL, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.