Beech C23 accident near Sinton, Texas, January 18, 2002
On January 18, 2002 at about 3:14 am local time, a Beech C23, registered N6622X, was destroyed in an accident near Sinton, Texas (Sinton/San Patricio County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees while executing a missed approach procedure. Contributing factors were the prevailing fog and the dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2002 · about 3:14 am local time
- Place
- Sinton, Texas · Sinton/San Patricio County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6622X · registry record · serial M-2383
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single-engine airplane impacted trees and terrain during dark night instrument meteorological conditions with fog. The private pilot, sole occupant, was returning to the home base airport from a cross-country flight. The ATC controller issued the pilot the weather (wind 120 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10, clouds 25,000 scattered, temperature 20 degrees Celsius, dew point 19 degrees Celsius, and the altimeter 30.02 inches Mercury) at the nearest airport (approximately 15 nautical miles from the destination airport) and told the pilot that fog was reported in the area. The pilot requested and was cleared for the non-precision approach VORDME 14 at the destination airport. Radar contact was lost with the aircraft at an altitude of 1,901 feet msl. Subsequently, the pilot transmitted in part "approach... can't find the airport." The controller instructed the pilot to execute the published missed approach instructions and asked the pilot for his next request. The pilot transmitted in part: "I've got it, I've got the strobe under me now sir." The controller requested if the airplane was landing and the pilot transmitted "affirmative sir I got the strobe." The controller asked the pilot if he was canceling IFR, and the pilot transmitted "no sir just a minute stay with me please sir." There were no further communications with the pilot. Witnesses near the airport reported hearing the airplane flying low, a loud boom, the sound of an explosion and fire. Local authorities, who responded to the accident site, reported "floating fog and mist in the vicinity of the airport." The pilot had accumulated 2,000 hours in the make and model of airplane. In 1996, the pilot had logged 122.8 hours of actual instrument flight time; however, neither the pilot's total or recency of IFR experience at the time of the accident could be verified. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Examination and teardown of the engine did not reveal any discrepancies that would preclude operation of the engine. The muffler was pressure tested in accordance with the manufacturer's heater muffler inspection procedures, and no leaks were detected. According to the NTSB metallurgist, the debris found on the carburetor inlet screen were deposits of the melted float assembly. No evidence of an in-flight mechanical and/or flight control malfunction was found that would have rendered the airplane uncontrollable prior to the impact.
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: 2,500 hours in all
- Last flight review: October 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,378.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LFK Lufkin TX
- Destination: T69 Sinton TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 4,323 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from CRP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.