Beech B55 accident near Reno, Nevada, May 29, 1988
On May 29, 1988 at about 3:00 am local time, a Beech B55, registered N8567M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno Cannon International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1988 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno Cannon International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B55 · all B55s on the register
- Registration
- N8567M · no longer on the register · serial TC 477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 25 WITH WINDS FROM 290 DEGREES AT 17 KNOTS. JUST PRIOR TO FLARE, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LANDED HARD ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. THE RIGHT STRUT, WHEEL AND WHEEL WELL DOOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CAME TO REST TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY IN THE DIRT.
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: 4,522 hours in all; 930 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1987; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4SD Stead NV at 2:30 am
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,101 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:34 am from RNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.