Beech 95-55 accident near Monterey, California, April 27, 1987
On April 27, 1987 at about 8:15 am local time, a Beech 95-55, registered N9711R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monterey, California (Monterey airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- April 27, 1987 · about 8:15 am local time
- Place
- Monterey, California · Monterey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-55 · all 95-55s on the register
- Registration
- N9711R · no longer on the register · serial TC-12
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE CABIN DOOR OPENED IN FLIGHT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RELAND BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PLT WAS VECTORED TO ANOTHER ARPT, HOWEVER, THE PLT NEVER CLIMBED TO THE ASSIGNED ALT AND WAS NEVER IN RADAR CONTACT. THE PLT THINKING HE WAS ON THE FRONT COURSE TO THE RUNWAY, WAS IN FACT ON THE BACKCOURSE. THE PLT DID NOT HAVE IN HIS POSSESSION AN APPROACH PLATE TO THAT ARPT. THE PLT DESCENDED INTO A MOUNTAIN AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 456 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 345 as pilot in command; 33 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,578 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1986; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental I0-470 AL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNS Salinas CA at 8:00 am
- Destination: V15 Visalia CA
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 10, 6,597 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from SNS, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 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.