Aerospatiale TB-20 accident near Yucca Valley, California, November 5, 1988
On November 5, 1988 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aerospatiale TB-20, registered N94TB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yucca Valley, California (Dirt Strip 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).
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
- November 5, 1988 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Yucca Valley, California · Dirt Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale TB-20
- Registration
- N94TB · registry record · serial 542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT AND THE CFI AGREED THAT THE ACFT DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE AS IT PASSED OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE DIRT RWY. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ABOUT 3/4 MILE FROM THE RWYS END. THE WINDS WERE VARIABLE BUT BASICALLY FROM THE SOUTH AT 15-20 KTS. THE DA WAS 4500 FT. A GROUND WITNESSES THOUGHT HE HEARD THE ENG SPUTTER AT THE RWYS END. THE CFI SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CLIMB HE CHECKED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS FULLY OPEN AND THEN LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE. HE SAID THAT THE STUDENT DID ALL THAT HE THOUGHT COULD BE DONE SO HE DID NOT INTERFERE IN CONTROLLING THE ACFT. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED BY THE PLTS.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,380 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 244 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 2,380 as pilot in command; 1,227 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 713 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 1988; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,843 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming I0-540-C4D5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,500 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.