Beech 95-B55 accident near Goleta, California, November 20, 1996
On November 20, 1996 at about 7:08 pm local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N210WW, was destroyed in an accident near Goleta, California (Santa Barbara Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft during an instrument approach, due to spatial disorientation, and/or his failure to maintain proper altitude. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's delay (or failure) to initiate a missed approach, and his lack of instrument competency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1996 · about 7:08 pm local time
- Place
- Goleta, California · Santa Barbara Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N210WW · registry record · serial TC-1774
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During IFR arrival, the pilot was cleared for an ILS runway 7 approach after being vectored to intercept the localizer from the south side. Last assigned altitude was 2000' msl. Radar data showed the aircraft (acft) continued across the localizer toward rising terrain. Air traffic controllers (ATC) issued instructions to turn back to the localizer, but the pilot did not follow. ATC then issued urgent instructions to turn & climb. (Later, they said he calmly acknowledged their transmissions, but continued toward rising terrain.) Radar contact was lost, but the airplane finally turned south. However, it hit avacado trees on the west side of sloping terrain at about 440' msl, while in a steep bank. No preimpact mechanical anomaly was found that would have resulted in the accident. The pilot's former wife recalled instances when he had miss-set the autopilot OBS; on those occasions, he had similarly deviated from the localizer at intercept & resisted her suggestion to take over manually & fly the approach, but persisted in trying to make the autopilot fly the approach. A flight instructor, who administered a biennial flight review 1 month earlier, found the pilot's instrument flight skills weak & refused to certify his instrument competency. Toxicology tests of tissue from the pilot indicated the presence of a narcotic pain reliever and its metabolite. Tests of kidney tissue showed 0.337 mcg/ml Propoxyphene & 2.7 mcg/ml Norpropoxyphene; tests of muscle tissue showed 0.385 mcg/ml Propoxyphene and 1.9 mcg/ml Norpropoxyphene.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 692 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,570 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 6:24 pm
- Destination: SBA Santa Barbara CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 6,052 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:25 pm from SBA, 8 miles away
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.