Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Jefferson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Beaumont, Texas 77710
Tuesady, July 7, 1998 6:35 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
An IFR flight plan was filed and a clearance was received for the 337 nautical mile flight. After departure from runway 12, while at approximately 200 feet above the ground, the non-instrument rated private pilot reported that a door had opened in flight and he was returning to the airport. The airplane impacted trees and terrain approximately one mile from the approach end of runway 30. Examination of the wreckage by FAA inspectors revealed that the door for the baggage compartment had damage consistent with an open door. Physical evidence and ground signatures at the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the ground at a high rate of descent, at relatively low forward speed, while configured with the landing gear and flaps extended. FAA records revealed that the pilot had accumulated a total of 1,850 flight hours. The pilot's level of experience on the accident airplane could not be determined; however, the investigation revealed that the 1982 model airplane was purchased by the company 4 months prior to the accident. Despite several attempts to obtain a completed NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot did not return the requested form.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while attempting to return to the airport. Factors were the open baggage compartment door and the pilot's diverted attention to the open door.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/7/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 635 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | BEAUMONT |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77710 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BPT |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 120 |
| Airport Elevation | 16 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 635 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BPT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 16 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 950 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 7 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1010 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6898Y |
| NTSB Number | FTW98LA303 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-60-602P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-60-602P |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 60-8265010 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3800 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WILLIAM H. WATKINS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | HIGHWAY 6 WEST |
| Aircraft Owner City | BATESVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | MS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38606 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | BPT |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 635 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 0M6 |
| Destination City | BATESVILLE |
| Destination State | MS |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 12 |
| Runway Length | 6751 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |