Beech D-50E accident near Lee Vining, California, May 28, 1993
On May 28, 1993 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech D-50E, registered N2R, was destroyed in an accident near Lee Vining, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation; inadequate in-flight planning and decision making; and the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1993 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lee Vining, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-50E · all D-50Es on the register
- Registration
- N2R · no longer on the register · serial DH-340
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED NON-INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS DEPARTED ON A RETURN PORTION OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE FIRST PORTION OF THE FLIGHT, BUT NOT FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE MOUNTAIN TOPS IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. WHILE IN A LEFT TURN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK SNOW COVERED TERRAIN AT THE END OF A BOWL SHAPED CANYON, ABOUT 400 FEET BELOW THE TOP OF A RIDGE LINE. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,654 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-G2F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q31 Visalia CA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: O04 Carson City NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MMH, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.