Beech 76 accident near Sacramento, California, July 24, 1991
On July 24, 1991 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N6045M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Sacramento Executive 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
A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR STRUT DUE TO AN INADEQUATE DESIGN BY THE MANUFACTURER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL NOT HAVING COMPLETED AN INSPECTION OF THE GEAR STRUT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE BULLETIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1991 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Sacramento Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N6045M · no longer on the register · serial ME184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE PILOT/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, WAS DEMONSTRATING A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING TO A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT/DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL STUDENT. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE DRIFT BY INCREASING THE RIGHT ENGINE POWER AND APPLYING LEFT RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE RIGHT WING BEGAN TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND AND THE PILOT SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGINES. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT GEAR FLAPS AND PROPELLER. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT GEAR STRUT WAS BROKEN AT AN INSPECTION HOLE PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE GEAR STRUT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE BULLETIN AND SUBSEQUENT FAA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE THAT REQUIRED AN INSPECTION FOR CRACKS. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL HAD RECEIVED THE SERVICE BULLETIN BUT HAD NOT SCHEDULED AN INSPECTION.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,200 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 6,750 as pilot in command; 2,150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,384 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 1991; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Altair Aviation CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: 2Q3 Davis CA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 5,503 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:20 pm from SAC, 1 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.