- Date
- May 5, 1982, 15:19 local (20:19 UTC)
- Place
- Charlotte, TX
- Injuries
- 7 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N98949Beech B90
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820505014019A
- Case key
- 70204
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt & 6 pax were returning home after fishing in Mexico. After clrg customs at laredo, TX, they departed on the next leg of the flt. The plt was clrd to 11000 ft, but got off course. He commented that an instrument had popped, he then requested 7000 ft, but due to otr traffic, his request was delayed. While still at 5000 ft, he stated, "hey, I'm in the middle of the top of this stuff." Aprx 7 min after being clrd to 7000 ft, controllers noted that the acft bgn descending. They atmtd to call the plt, but were unable. An investigation revealed the acft had crashed after the outer wing panels and the empennage had separated. The exact sequence of the in-flt break-up was not determined. Radar info indicated the acft had entered svrl vert oscillations of svrl hundred feet bfr dscndg. An exam of the fracture surfaces revealed only overload failure. Otr plts rprtd clds btn 3000 & 6500 ft with only lgt turbc. The acft was estimated to be aprx 65 lbs ovr the max gross wt lmt & loaded near the aft CG.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98949
- Reported as
- Beech B90
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LJ407
- Airframe hours
- 2,915
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-20, 550 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Texas Aero
- Registered owner
- Wkt Enterprises, Inc.
- Departed
- LRD · Laredo, TX
- Destination
- SAT · San Antonio, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 7,385 total · 35 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 163 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAT, 43 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.