- Date
- November 20, 1991, 03:57 local (09:57 UTC)
- Place
- Jasper, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3GEBeech V35TC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911120052609A
- Case key
- 18341
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 continue a normal climb after takeoff due to spatial disorientation. A factor was the dark night condition.
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 airplane impacted 75 ft high trees about 1/2 mi from the end of the departure runway in a right wing low, nose level attitude. Following initial impact, the airplane traveled 850 ft thru the trees. The pilot had executed the takeoff in dark night visual meteorological conditions into an area that was devoid of any ground lights. The airport manager took off shortly after the accident and spotted the fire. He reported the area south of the airport was very dark due to lack of ground lights and the clouds overhead. An instructor pilot who had flown with the accident pilot stated that he had a habit of making flat departures, settling in his turns and reducing power shortly after liftoff. One instructor stated that the 5 ft 7 inch, 267 pound pilot had a minimum amount of clearance between the control yoke and his stomach and that his stomach came into contact with the yoke every time he leaned forward to tune the radios or reset the engine power. No evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction was found during the investigation
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3GE
- Reported as
- Beech V35TC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D8407
- Airframe hours
- 4,091
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-D, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Ward, John W.
- Registered owner
- Ward, John W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 30, 1991 · 183 hours before
- Destination
- SPH · Springhill, LA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- JAS · Jasper County, runway 18, 4,155 × 70 ft, asphalt
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
- 60
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,940 total · 500 in this make and model · 1,800 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LFT, 48 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.