Beech A36 accident near Wichita, Kansas, July 7, 1994
On July 7, 1994 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N107JT, was destroyed in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Colonel James Jabara airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's attempt to take off into known adverse weather and the subsequent stall. Factors were the thunderstorm, the tailwind, and the excessive airplane gross weight and aft center of gravity.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1994 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Colonel James Jabara · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N107JT · no longer on the register · serial E-841
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 18 AT THE SAME TIME A STRONG NORTHERLY GUST FRONT ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT. REFLECTIVITY PLOTS RECORDED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FACILITY IN WICHITA, KANSAS, SHOW A LEVEL 6 THUNDERSTORM WAS ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WITH AN ABRUPT WIND SHIFT AND GUSTS TO 58 KNOTS. ONE WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE NOSE PITCHED UP AND THE LEFT WING DROPPED AS IF THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO ENTER A SPIN. HE SAID THE ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS PRODUCING FULL POWER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE WAS 183 POUNDS IN EXCESS OF THE MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS AFT OF THE LIMIT SPECIFIED IN THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,194 hours in all; 985 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,382 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1993; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3KM
- Destination: COS Colorado Spring CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 51 knots, gusting 58
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from 3KM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 1 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.