Beech B23 accident near Mariposa, California, June 1, 1995
On June 1, 1995 at about 11:41 pm local time, a Beech B23, registered N6985Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mariposa, California (Mariposa-Yosemite Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's premature liftoff and his failure to attain and maintain sufficient airspeed during the intial climb which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush back onto the runway. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control as the aircraft touched down again is also causal. A factor in the accident is the pilot's lack of recent flight experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1995 · about 11:41 pm local time
- Place
- Mariposa, California · Mariposa-Yosemite Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B23 · all B23s on the register
- Registration
- N6985Q · registry record · serial M-1095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON HIS FOURTH TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE 'QUIT FLYING, BOUNCED ACROSS MERIDIAN BETWEEN RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY, SLID ACROSS THE TAXIWAY AND STOPPED.' THE PILOT STATED THAT OBSERVERS AND WITNESSES TOLD HIM THAT THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BACKFIRED AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE THROTTLED BACK THEN FORWARD AGAIN. THE RESPONDING FAA INSPECTOR FOUND NO WITNESSES WHO GAVE A REPORT SIMILAR TO THE PILOT'S IMPRESSION. THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE PILOT SAID HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AT LIFT-OFF, VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TAXIWAY. DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, THE NOSE GEAR, THE NOSE COWLING, LOWER ENGINE MOUNT, AND FIREWALL RESULTED. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT HIS FLIGHT TIME IN THE 90-DAY PERIOD PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAS FLOWN ONLY 7 HOURS SINCE AUGUST OF 1994. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE WAS EXAMINED BY AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DID NOT FIND ANY DISCREPANCY IN THE AIRFRAME OR THE ENGINE.
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: 686 hours in all; 226 in this make and model; 639 as pilot in command; 47 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,152 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 5, 1994; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O68 at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,310 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.