Beech C23 accident near Lakeport, California, June 28, 1994
On June 28, 1994 at about 1:19 am local time, a Beech C23, registered N2132W, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeport, California (Lampson Field). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING GO-AROUND FROM AN ABORTED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF SPEED AND DISTANCE TO THE RUNWAY WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE LANDING, INADVERTENT PORPOISE, AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1994 · about 1:19 am local time
- Place
- Lakeport, California · Lampson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N2132W · registry record · serial M-1507
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT MADE AN APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 28, A 3600' RUNWAY, WITH THE WIND FROM 120 DEGREES AT 4 KNOTS. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER THE LANDING THRESHOLD ABOUT 100' AGL. IT FIRST TOUCHED DOWN AT MIDFIELD, THEN IT PORPOISED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES AND YAWED TO THE LEFT. THE WITNESS SAID THAT ENGINE POWER WAS APPLIED AND THE AIRPLANE GAINED 50' TO 60', THEN THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. DURING IMPACT, THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS RUPTURED AND A FIRE ERUPTED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. DURING THE PILOT'S TRAINING, HE HAD RECEIVED TWO FLIGHT TEST DISAPPROVALS BEFORE HE WAS ISSUED A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE ON 6/14/93. AT THAT TIME, HIS FLIGHT EXPERIENCE CONSISTED OF 41 HOURS SOLO AND 130 HOURS DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. ON 2/8/94, THE PILOT RECEIVED A 1-HOUR-LONG CHECKOUT IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD.
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: 225 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,211 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 1994; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Pacific Flight Services
The flight
- Departed from: O45 Vacaville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.