- Date
- November 17, 1991, 20:55 local (Nov 18, 1991, 02:55 UTC)
- Place
- Angleton, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6637WBeech C23
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911117052299A
- Case key
- 18340
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors were his lack of total instrument time, his VFR flight into instrument conditions and spatial disorientation.
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 non rated private pilot proceeded to his destination at approximately 5,500 feet. The cloud tops in the vicinity of the destination were reported at approximately 5,000 feet. Upon reaching the vicinity of the outer marker for the airport, a descent was undertaken. Shortly thereafter, radar records indicate a high rate of descent, indicative of a loss of control. The airplane collided with the terrain in an extreme nose low attitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6637W
- Reported as
- Beech C23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M-2219
- Airframe hours
- 3,102
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- John E. Ford II
- Registered owner
- John E. Ford II
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 27, 1991 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- T89 · Castroville, TX
- Destination
- LBX · Angleton, TX
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 252 total · 165 in this make and model · 202 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.