Beech A23A accident near Chico, California, July 12, 1992
On July 12, 1992 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Beech A23A, registered N7904L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chico, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
1) THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, 2) HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, 3) THE INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A SPIRAL DIVE AT AN EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED, AND, 4) THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WHICH IMPOSED EXCESSIVE LOADS ON THE AIRFRAME DURING THE ATTEMPTED RECOVERY FROM THE SPIRAL DIVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1992 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chico, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23A · all A23As on the register
- Registration
- N7904L · no longer on the register · serial M979
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS FLYING SOME FAMILY MEMBERS ON A TOUR OF THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAIN RANGE FOOT HILLS WHEN THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED SOME RAPIDLY BUILDING CUMULUS CLOUDS WHILE CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 11,500 FEET MSL. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS NAVIGATING AROUND THE BUILD UPS ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS WHEN THE CLOUDS SURROUNDED THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED ONE OF THE LARGE CLOUDS AND THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT ENDED UP IN A HIGH SPEED SPIRAL DIVE AT AN AIRSPEED IN EXCESS OF ABOUT 190 KNOTS. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE, WITH THE HELP OF HIS SON, 'STARTED PULLING BACK ON THE WHEEL' AND RECOVERED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT THEN RETURNED TO ITS HOME BASE AND LANDED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT BOTH WINGS HAD MAJOR BUCKLES AT THE PRODUCTION JOINTS BETWEEN THE INBOARD AND OUTBOARD WING PANELS, WITH THE OUTBOARD PANELS EXHIBITING AN UPWARD PERMANENT SET. IN ADDITION, THE FUSELAGE IMMEDIATELY AFT OF THE FIREWALL AND FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE EXHIBITED AREAS OF SKIN BUCKLING.
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: 95 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O45 Vacaville CA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: O45
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.