Twin Commander Acft. Corp. 695A accident near Delray Beach, Florida, January 21, 1998
On January 21, 1998 at about 8:34 pm local time, a Twin Commander Acft. Corp. 695A, registered N269M, was destroyed in an accident near Delray Beach, Florida (Boca Raton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot flew into known convective meterological conditions and lost control of the airplane. Factors were low clouds, and moderate to heavy rain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1998 · about 8:34 pm local time
- Place
- Delray Beach, Florida · Boca Raton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Twin Commander Acft. Corp. 695A
- Registration
- N269M · registry record · serial 96098
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had received a weather briefing and was aware of the weather conditions west and north of the airport. The pilot was issued the flight clearance as filed, and was assigned an initial altitude of 2000 feet. Approximately five minutes into the flight, the air traffic controller questioned the pilot concerning the assigned heading. The controller stated that the pilot 'sounded extremely strained' and replied, 'N269M is in trouble.' Radar altitude data showed a rapid loss of altitude for N269M; the last radar altitude data showed the flight at 2800 feet. The airplane collided with the ground in a nose low attitude. Weather radar data from the Miami Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler (WSR-88D) showed a large, intense convective cell just west of Boca Raton between 1530:15 and 1535:57. Moderate to very heavy rain showers were associated with the convective activity. A review of the radar data showed that N269M was 3.5 to 4.0 miles north of the core of the large convective cell.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,606 hours in all; 843 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 1,405 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,274 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 2, 1997; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-10S11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BCT Boca Raton FL at 8:29 pm
- Destination: LZU Lawrenceville GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 5,195 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from PBI, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL98FA036.