Beech V35 accident near Goleta, California, October 22, 1989
On October 22, 1989 at about 6:27 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N288BH, was destroyed in an accident near Goleta, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT VISUAL FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT AN ALTITUDE THAT WOULD NOT PROVIDE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. THE WEATHER CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1989 · about 6:27 pm local time
- Place
- Goleta, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N288BH · no longer on the register · serial D8089
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN FOR HIS FLIGHT ACROSS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE CLIMBED UNDER AN OVERCAST SKY TOWARD A MOUNTAIN PASS. THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PILOT AFTER HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED. THE PILOT'S FAMILY REPORTED HIM MISSING LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF THE DAY OF HIS DEPARTURE. LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES EXISTED THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND CONTINUED UNITL THE NEXT AFTERNOON. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON A MOUNTAIN TOP BY SEARCH PERSONNEL ON THE DAY AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING. IMPACT OCCURRED AT 2,200 FEET MSL. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT REPORTED THE CEILING IN THE AREA WAS 1,600 FEET WITH THE SKY OBSCURED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,650 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B/BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBA Santa Barbara CA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: SMX Santa Maria CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:47 pm from SBA, 15 miles away
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.