Beech 23 accident near San Carlos, California, October 28, 1988
On October 28, 1988 at about 10:14 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2340Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 1988 · about 10:14 pm local time
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2340Z · registry record · serial M-50
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional 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 TOO FAR DOWN RUNWAY 12. HE SAID THAT WHEN HE CONSIDERED GOING AROUND, HE WAS ALREADY COMMITTED TO COMPLETE THE LANDING. WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 360 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT. THE FAA REPORTED THAT A YOUNG FEMALE WAS NOTICED EMERGING FROM THE AIRPLANE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS REPORTED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: student
- Flight time: 51 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,630 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SQL at 10:20 pm
- Destination: SQL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Observation at 9:45 pm from SQL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX89LA026.