Beech D-50 accident near Santa Rosa, California, January 9, 1986
On January 9, 1986 at about 1:15 am local time, a Beech D-50, registered N666GK, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Rosa, California (Santa Rosa Air Center airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- January 9, 1986 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Santa Rosa Air Center · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-50 · all D-50s on the register
- Registration
- N666GK · no longer on the register · serial DH-94
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT, WHO WAS THE MECHANIC FOR THE ACFT & WHO POSSESSES FAA INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION, WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS ACFT AND HAD FLOWN IT THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT FAILED TO REFUEL THE ACFT AFTER MAKING TWO ADDITIONAL FLTS. THE MAIN FUEL TANK GAGES WERE REPORTEDLY ACCURATE. ON THE RETURN LEG OF THE PLT'S LAST FLT, AS THE ACFT APPROACHED THE DESTINATION ARPT, BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT TOWARD THE ARPT AND THE RIGHT ENG SUDDENLY OBTAINED FUEL AND MOMENTARILY PRODUCED POWER. THE ACFT WAS BELOW VMC AT THE TIME. THE ACFT ROLLED LEFT, ACQUIRED A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE AND CONTROL WAS LOST. THE ACFT THEN DESCENDED TO THE TERRAIN AND CRASHED ABOUT 1000 YARDS FROM THE ARPT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,229 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 1985; 83 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 1:00 am
- Destination: 001 Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.