Beech D95A accident near Santa Maria, California, March 26, 1988
On March 26, 1988 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech D95A, registered N8855M, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Maria, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE AND TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1988 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D95A · all D95As on the register
- Registration
- N8855M · registry record · serial TD591
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ATCT CONTROLLERS REPORTED THAT THE INITIAL GROUND ROLL, ROTATION AND LIFT OFF SEEMED NORMAL. AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED THE TOWER CAB AT ABOUT 80 FT AGL, IT WAS SEEN TO 'APPRECIABLY SLOW AND YAW TO THE LEFT JUST LIKE A PRACTICE ENGINE CUT' THE CONTROLLERS HAD SEEN ON PRIOR OCCASIONS. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT LEVEL OFF MOMENTARILY THEN BEGIN A CLIMB. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A LEFT TURN, CONTINUED TO ROLL TO A NEAR INVERTED ATTITUDE AND DOVE INTO THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT PROP WAS AT THE LOW PITCH STOP AT IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY CONSUMED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE AND THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE PILOT HAD FLOWN 32 HOURS IN THE PAST 15 MONTHS AND THAT THE LAST EMERGENCY TRAINING WAS TWO YEARS BEFORE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,070 hours in all; 855 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,015 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,495 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 1987; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SMX Santa Maria CA at 8:29 pm
- Destination: IZA Santa Ynez CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:41 pm from SMX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.