Beechcraft 76 N2074M

Summary

On 20 July 1988 at about 04:05 local time, a Beechcraft 76 registered N2074M was involved in an accident near Portola Valley, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

20 July 1988 at 04:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Portola Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Palo Alto (PAO)

Coordinates

37.4505, -122.1699

Aircraft

Beechcraft 76

Registration

N2074M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palo Alto → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX88FA264

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE DINING WITH FRIENDS WITH WHOM HE RESIDED, THE PILOT TOLD THEM THAT HE WAS 'GOING FLYING'. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE FLIGHT HE WOULD FLY OVER THE HOUSE BEFORE HE RETURNED TO PALO ALTO AIRPORT (PAO). THE PILOT TWICE CIRCLED THE RESIDENCE WHICH IS ABT 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PAO AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND THEN PROCEEDED WEST. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABT 1/2 MILE WEST OF THE RESIDENCE IT ENTERED A 70 DEG NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE MANEUVER RESEMBLED A LEFT HAMMERHEAD STALL EXCEPT BEFORE IT REACHED THE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE IN ENTERED A LEFT SPIN. ONE WITNESS CLOSE TO THE ACCIDENT SITE RPTD THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD STOPPED ITS SPIN ROTATION AND WAS IN ABT A 45 DEG NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT IMPACT. THE WITNESSES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPTD THAT 1 OF THE ENGS SOUNDED IRREGULAR. THE POST CRASH INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY AIRPLANE OR ENGINE PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.