Beech 58P accident near Vail, Arizona, March 27, 1991
On March 27, 1991 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N27L, was destroyed in an accident near Vail, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1991 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Vail, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N27L · no longer on the register · serial TJ-344
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER/PILOT HAD PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE IN MINNESOTA, AND HAD HIRED AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT WITH 1000 HOURS IN TYPE TO FLY BACK TO ARIZONA WITH HIM, AND THEN TO FLY EACH DAY WITH HIM UNTIL HE BECAME QUALIFIED AND PROFICIENT IN THE AIRPLANE. RADAR TRACKING DATA INDICATED A ROUTE TO THE EAST PRACTICE AREA AFTER DEPARTURE WHERE THE AIRPLANE MANEUVERED BETWEEN 5400 AND 7300 FEET MSL. TERRAIN ELEVATION IN THE AREA IS ABOUT 3000 FEET MSL. RADAR DATA WAS RECORDED FOR 47 MINUTES. AT A POINT WHERE GROUND SPEED WAS INDICATED TO BE 72 KNOTS, THE AIRPLANE STARTED A RAPID DESCENT AND WAS LOST FROM RADAR AT 4100 FEET MSL. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE SPINNING CLOCKWISE IN THE PRACTICE AREA. THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS WERE FOUND IN THE DOWN POSITION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 416 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 10:18 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 21 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from TUS, 13 miles away
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.