Beech 58P accident near Green Valley, California, March 2, 1991
On March 2, 1991, a Beech 58P, registered N6666Q, was destroyed in an accident near Green Valley, California. It was a business 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 LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO HIS DISREGARD FOR AND POOR EVALUATION OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORIES FORECASTING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1991
- Place
- Green Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N6666Q · no longer on the register · serial TJ 268
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A BEECH 58P DESCENDED AND COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHILE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT WAS ISSUED A 20 MINUTE WEATHER BRIEFING FROM A FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. THE WEATHER BRIEFING FORECASTED IFR CEILINGS ALONG ENTIRE FLIGHT, OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURBULENCE OVER THE ENTIRE ROUTE, A SIGMET FOR SEVERE TURBULENCE AND LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR, STRONG UP AND DOWN DRAFTS IN THE VICINITY OF MOUNTAINS AND PASSES, AND OCCASIONAL MODERATE MIXED ICING FROM THE FREEZING LEVEL TO FLIGHT LEVEL 200 OVER ENTIRE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. AFTER RECEIVING THE BRIEFING, THE PILOT DECIDED TO INITIATE THE FLIGHT AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR CLIMBING THROUGH 11,400 FEET MSL AT A POSITION THAT OVERLIES AN 8,000 FOOT MSL MOUNTAIN RANGE. RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS THEN LOST. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,073 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 983 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 1990; 232 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,400 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from SBD, 13 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.