Beech 58 accident near Atwater, California, March 23, 1999
On March 23, 1999 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N6BY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atwater, California (Castle airport). It was an instructional 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
the failure of the student to extend the landing gear and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1999 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Atwater, California · Castle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N6BY · registry record · serial TH-1629
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in the traffic pattern, the instructor simulated an engine failure and placed an engine in a zero thrust condition. During the approach, the student decided to delay lowering the flaps and gear until turning final. The student said that on final he lowered the flaps to the full down position with both engines near zero thrust. The instructor returned the failed engine on short final. Neither crewmember noticed anything unusual until the aircraft appeared to settle more than expected prior to touchdown. Before either of them could recover, both propellers struck the runway. After the accident, the landing gear system was examined and found to fully function. The damage to the landing gear wheel well doors and the flaps was consistent with both being in transit at the time of ground contact.
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: airline transport pilot, 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: 5,198 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 4,922 as pilot in command; 4,320 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,907 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 1998; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 10:20 pm
- Destination: PAO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 11,802 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from SCK, 44 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.
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.