Jasper County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jasper, Texas 75951
Wednesday, November 20, 1991 3:57 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CONTINUE A NORMAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 357
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City JASPER
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75951
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JASPER COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JAS
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 195
Airport Elevation 222
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 353 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID LFT
Elevation of weather observation facility 296
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 48
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2073
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46441
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3GE
NTSB Number FTW92FA024
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model V35TC
Aircraft Series Identifier V35TC
Aircraft Serial Number D8407
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 30 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 183
Airframe Hours 4091
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WARD, JOHN W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1101 WOODLAND
Aircraft Owner City JASPER
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75951
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WARD, JOHN W.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1101 WOODLAND
Operator City JASPER
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75951
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 356
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SPH
Destination City SPRINGHILL
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 4155
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --