Beech A24R accident near Grass Valley, California, December 29, 1988
On December 29, 1988 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech A24R, registered N8018R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grass Valley, California (Nevada CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- December 29, 1988 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Nevada CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A24R · all A24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N8018R · registry record · serial MC-8
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL DUE TO THE PATCHY SNOW AND ICE ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A NOTAM WAS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WHICH REPORTED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS CLOSED DUE TO THE ICY CONDITIONS.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 242 hours in all; 158 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 198 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,987 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1988; 221 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCH Fresno CA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,920 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from MYV, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.