Beech 95-B55 accident near Truckee, California, August 14, 1987
On August 14, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N20904, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truckee, California (Truckee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- August 14, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N20904 · registry record · serial TC-2101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'LANDED HARD' ON RUNWAY 19. WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 270 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS REPORTED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT THE ACCIDENT WITHIN TEN DAYS OF THE OCCURRENCE. HE STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT MET THE NTSB CRITERIA FOR SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,424 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 1,132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WLW Willows CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.