Beech 76 accident near San Martin, California, June 14, 1998
On June 14, 1998 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N912KA, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Martin, California (South County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the instructor to adequately supervise the flight, which included ensuring that the student maintained the proper airspeed during the attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1998 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Martin, California · South County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N912KA · registry record · serial ME-12
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the simulated engine failure and subsequent accident, the instructor had simulated a right alternator failure, an engine fire, a left engine failure on takeoff, and a right engine failure on takeoff. During the accident simulated engine failure, initiated by shutting off the fuel supply, the student diverted to the airport for an emergency landing. He noted that the landing gear lights indicating the landing gear was in the down position were not illuminated. He informed the instructor, who advised him to initiate a go-around. As the student pilot advanced the throttles for the go-around the aircraft lurched to the right. The student pilot raised the flaps; however, aircraft performance continued to deteriorate. The student pilot stated that the aircraft speed was too slow to maintain directional control so he lowered the nose and the aircraft impacted terrain in a nose-low, right wing-low attitude. The aircraft and both engines were inspected on-scene with no mechanical malfunctions 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,661 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 270 in the last 90 days; 107 in the last 30 days; 1,586 as pilot in command; 1,201 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,352 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 28, 1998; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,916 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1G6O/D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tradewinds Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from RHV, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX98LA196.