Beech B90 accident near Charlotte, Texas, May 5, 1982
On May 5, 1982 at about 8:19 pm local time, a Beech B90, registered N98949, was destroyed in an accident near Charlotte, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 7 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1982 · about 8:19 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B90 · all B90s on the register
- Registration
- N98949 · no longer on the register · serial LJ407
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & 6 PAX WERE RETURNING HOME AFTER FISHING IN MEXICO. AFTER CLRG CUSTOMS AT LAREDO, TX, THEY DEPARTED ON THE NEXT LEG OF THE FLT. THE PLT WAS CLRD TO 11000 FT, BUT GOT OFF COURSE. HE COMMENTED THAT AN INSTRUMENT HAD POPPED, HE THEN REQUESTED 7000 FT, BUT DUE TO OTR TRAFFIC, HIS REQUEST WAS DELAYED. WHILE STILL AT 5000 FT, HE STATED, "HEY, I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOP OF THIS STUFF." APRX 7 MIN AFTER BEING CLRD TO 7000 FT, CONTROLLERS NOTED THAT THE ACFT BGN DESCENDING. THEY ATMTD TO CALL THE PLT, BUT WERE UNABLE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD CRASHED AFTER THE OUTER WING PANELS AND THE EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATED. THE EXACT SEQUENCE OF THE IN-FLT BREAK-UP WAS NOT DETERMINED. RADAR INFO INDICATED THE ACFT HAD ENTERED SVRL VERT OSCILLATIONS OF SVRL HUNDRED FEET BFR DSCNDG. AN EXAM OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES REVEALED ONLY OVERLOAD FAILURE. OTR PLTS RPRTD CLDS BTN 3000 & 6500 FT WITH ONLY LGT TURBC. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE APRX 65 LBS OVR THE MAX GROSS WT LMT & LOADED NEAR THE AFT CG.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,385 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,915 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Texas Aero
The flight
- Departed from: LRD Laredo TX at 2:48 pm
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from SAT, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.