North American NA-265-80 accident near Florence, Kansas, July 18, 1998
On July 18, 1998 at about 9:22 pm local time, a North American NA-265-80, registered N547JL, was destroyed in an accident near Florence, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's overconfidence in his personal ability, his improper in-flight decision to attempt aerobatics, and his loss of control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1998 · about 9:22 pm local time
- Place
- Florence, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NA-265-80 · all NA-265-80s on the register
- Registration
- N547JL · no longer on the register · serial 380-069
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot dropped off a passenger at Newton Airport before continuing the flight. The passenger, who was a contract pilot for the company, reported there had been no indications of any problem with the airplane. The pilot conducted a low pass followed by a steep climb to 10,000 feet when he departed Newton. Seven minutes later in the flight, the cockpit voice recorder revealed the pilot stating, 'You're going to pitch up now and take it all the way around here.' The pilot said, 'Pitch up, twenty degrees up.' After the pilot called for the nose to be pitched up, he did not make any statements for about 27 seconds. Then the pilot stated, 'Oh, Jim.' Eight seconds later the airplane impacted the ground. Radar data indicated that airplane's altitude about the time the nose was pitched up was 15,900 feet msl, and it impacted the ground about 37 seconds later. All flight control surfaces were found at the impact site. No maneuver in the pilot's manual or the FAA's Commercial test guide required the nose to be pitched up 20 degrees while maintaining 250 knots. The aircraft was certified as a Transport Category aircraft and was not certified for aerobatic flight.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,484 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 29, 1998; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 23,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF700-2-D-2 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EWK Newton KS at 9:10 pm
- Destination: ICT Wichita KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from EWK, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 CHI98MA260.