Beech B95 accident near Devore, California, March 29, 1992
On March 29, 1992 at about 3:40 am local time, a Beech B95, registered N9652R, was destroyed in an accident near Devore, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE WHILE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LOW CLOUDS, DARK NIGHT, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1992 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Devore, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B95 · all B95s on the register
- Registration
- N9652R · no longer on the register · serial TD-349
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROACHING THE DESTINATION AIRPORT IN A MOUNTAIN PASS AREA, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND MARGINAL VFR WEATHER CONDITIONS. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT. UNABLE TO REACH HIS DESTINATION, THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE. WHILE FLYING NORTHBOUND THE AIRPLANE CRUISED INTO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. RESULTS OF THE TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID (MARIHUANA) IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD AT A LEVEL OF 0.003 UG/ML.
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: 467 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 412 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,340 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 25, 1992; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hmdr Enterprises
The flight
- Departed from: L15 Henderson NV at 2:30 am
- Destination: HMT Hemet CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:57 am from SBD, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.