Beech F33A accident near Big Bear, California, October 19, 2008
On October 19, 2008 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N65HP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Big Bear, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2008 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N65HP · registry record · serial CE-610
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was a certified flight instructor (CFI), submitted a written statement. She had departed from a local airport and received flight following to her destination. After obtaining the wind information, which she recalled reporting winds from 240 degrees at 5 knots, gusting to 17 knots, she entered a left downwind for runway 26. The pilot landed on the runway and the airplane swerved to the right, departing the runway surface and impacting a parked airplane, a vehicle, and an airport hangar. The Safety Board investigator interviewed a CFI that departed from the same airport and was landing at the same destination as the accident flight. He also obtained flight following and overheard the communication between air traffic control and the accident pilot, and then landed behind her. He indicated that the winds were reported from 220 degrees at 5 knots. During the landing, the airplane went past the final approach leg and then entered a 270-degree turn to enter back into the traffic pattern. When the airplane entered onto the final leg he looked down and saw a cloud of dust. Approximately 5 minutes after the accident, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) for the airport was reporting, in part, winds from 240 degrees at 8 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,535 hours in all; 267 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 30, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO 520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Los Angeles CA at 7:15 pm
- Destination: L35 Big Bear CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from L35
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.