Beech B23 accident near Roanoke, Texas, April 27, 1982
On April 27, 1982 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Beech B23, registered N6502T, was destroyed in an accident near Roanoke, Texas (Aero Valley airport). It was an instructional 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 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
- April 27, 1982 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Roanoke, Texas · Aero Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B23 · all B23s on the register
- Registration
- N6502T · no longer on the register · serial M1139
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO TAKEOFF AND CLIMB NORMALLY UNTIL IT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FT AGL. IT THEN PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY TO ABOUT A 70 DEG NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. AFTER THE PITCH-UP, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 175 TO 200 FT AGL, STALLED, ROTATED ABOUT THE LEFT WING TIP AND ENTERED A SPIN. THE PLANE ROTATED ABOUT 270 DEG BEFORE CRASHING. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURES OF THE ENGINE OR FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FOUND. TWO METALLURGICAL EXAMINATIONS OF THE SEAT TRACKS AND SEAT LOCKING MECHANISMS WERE MADE. REPORTS OF THESE EXAMINATIONS CONCLUDED THAT THE LEFT (STUDENT PILOT'S) SEAT WAS NOT IN A FIXED POSITION DURING IMPACT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT IT HAD TRAVELED TO AN EXTREME AFT POSITION BEFORE THE PLANE CRASH. THE LEFT SEAT LOCKING MECHANISM OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN CHECKED AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,055 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 815 as pilot in command; 606 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,834 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 146 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52F Roanoke TX at 2:50 pm
- Destination: 52F Roanoke TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from FTW, 30 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.
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.