Beech 95-B55 accident near Beaumont, California, July 3, 1997
On July 3, 1997 at about 2:50 am local time, a Beech 95-B55, registered N2031W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beaumont, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadvertent movement of the propeller controls, instead of the throttle levers, which resulted in an inadvertent dual engine shutdown. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's failure to properly secure the door during preflight, and his lack of recent experience in this make and model of airplane combined with habit interference.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1997 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Beaumont, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N2031W · no longer on the register · serial TC-2183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, the pilot heard wind noise coming from the cabin door, but decided to continue the flight. After leveling off, however, the cabin door suddenly popped open. The pilot tried unsuccessfully to close the door, then failing that, tried to reduce his airspeed by retarding the throttles. Without looking, he inadvertently retarded the prop levers that were on the left side of the quadrant. Since the levers also served as feather switches when in the retarded position, both props went into full feather. The pilot attempted to bring both props out of feather, but because the aircraft was not equipped with unfeathering accumulators, he was unable. He finally restarted the left engine, but it did not immediately develop enough power to allow him to arrest his descent and maintain safe single engine airspeed. With only a few hundred feet of altitude remaining, he decided to make an emergency landing. The pilot reported that he regularly flew aircraft, which had throttles located on the left side of the quadrant. He also stated that he had not flown a 95-B55 in nearly 10 months, and then had only flown it 8 hours during the previous 12 months.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,400 hours in all; 1,096 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 3,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,610 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 1996; 3 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: CNO Chino CA at 2:30 am
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:58 am from RIV, 16 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.