Beech V35TC accident near Jasper, Texas, November 20, 1991
On November 20, 1991 at about 9:57 am local time, a Beech V35TC, registered N3GE, was destroyed in an accident near Jasper, Texas (Jasper County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CONTINUE A NORMAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1991 · about 9:57 am local time
- Place
- Jasper, Texas · Jasper County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35TC · all V35TCs on the register
- Registration
- N3GE · registry record · serial D8407
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED 75 FT HIGH TREES ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE END OF THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY IN A RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE LEVEL ATTITUDE. FOLLOWING INITIAL IMPACT, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED 850 FT THRU THE TREES. THE PILOT HAD EXECUTED THE TAKEOFF IN DARK NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS INTO AN AREA THAT WAS DEVOID OF ANY GROUND LIGHTS. THE AIRPORT MANAGER TOOK OFF SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND SPOTTED THE FIRE. HE REPORTED THE AREA SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT WAS VERY DARK DUE TO LACK OF GROUND LIGHTS AND THE CLOUDS OVERHEAD. AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT WHO HAD FLOWN WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD A HABIT OF MAKING FLAT DEPARTURES, SETTLING IN HIS TURNS AND REDUCING POWER SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF. ONE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE 5 FT 7 INCH, 267 POUND PILOT HAD A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE CONTROL YOKE AND HIS STOMACH AND THAT HIS STOMACH CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE YOKE EVERY TIME HE LEANED FORWARD TO TUNE THE RADIOS OR RESET THE ENGINE POWER. NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,940 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,091 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 1991; 183 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: SPH Springhill LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 4,155 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from LFT, 48 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.