Beech 95-B55 accident near Calexico, California, May 30, 1994
On May 30, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N814U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Calexico, California (Calexico International airport). It was a personal 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
1) the pilot's failure to correctly position the fuel selectors prior to takeoff, 2) the resultant fuel starvation failure of the left engine in the takeoff initial climb, and 3) the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Calexico, California · Calexico International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N814U · registry record · serial TC1342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot cleared U. S. Customs at Calexico, CA, and was on the ground for about 10 minutes. He said that after taxiing to the end of the runway he noticed a lull in the traffic and decided to immediately takeoff without performing a pretakeoff power or aircraft configuration check. The pilot said that he was reaching for the landing gear control just after liftoff when the left engine failed. The aircraft yawed and banked to the left and, before the pilot could regain control, the left wing tip contacted the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled to a stop off the left side of the runway. The aircraft was examined and the fuel quantity gauge selector switch was positioned to the main fuel tanks while the fuel selectors were positioned to the auxiliary fuel tanks. The left and right main fuel tanks contained 16 and 20 gallons, respectively, while the auxiliary tanks had less than 5 gallons. Fuel system continuity was established with no evidence of postaccident leakage noted.
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; single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,064 hours in all; 2,267 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 5,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,522 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1993; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXL at 10:15 pm
- Destination: BWC Brawley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,330 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from IPL, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.