Beech V35B accident near Camp Pendleton, California, March 24, 1987
On March 24, 1987 at about 3:10 am local time, a Beech V35B, registered N8888M, was destroyed in an accident near Camp Pendleton, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- March 24, 1987 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Camp Pendleton, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8888M · registry record · serial D-9397
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE ACFT WAS NEARING ITS DESTN AT NGT, THE PLT CONTACTED TRACON & REQD RADAR ADVISORIES & CLNC INTO THE TERMINAL AREA. RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED WHEN THE ACFT WAS 6 MI NW OF OCEANSIDE VOR AT 1500' MSL. THIS PLACED THE ACFT IN A RESTRICTED AREA (R-2533). THE CONTROLLER ASKED THE PLT IF HE COULD CLIMB, BUT THERE WAS NO REPLY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. A WITNESS, WHO WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 101, SAW THE LIGHTS OF AN ACFT BEFORE IT DSCNDD INTO THE OCEAN. THE WITNESS RPRTD THERE WAS A 'RAIN SQUALL' IN THE VICINITY & THE VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED. LATER, THE OCCUPANTS & PIECES OF WRECKAGE WERE WASHED ASHORE; HOWEVER, THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PLT'S MED CERT WAS NOT VALID FOR NGT FLT OR FOR COLOR SIGNAL CONTROL.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,006 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 22, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q94 Sacramento CA at 1:00 am
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from NFG, 5 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 N8888M 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.