Aero Commander S2R accident near Beeville, Texas, August 18, 1998
On August 18, 1998 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Aero Commander S2R, registered N1731S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beeville, Texas (Beeville Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and the ensuing inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1998 · about 10:00 pm local time · cases in 1998
- Place
- Beeville, Texas · Beeville Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander S2R · all S2Rs on the register
- Registration
- N1731S · registry record · serial 1428R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial climb after takeoff, the pilot lost control of the agricultural airplane. Witnesses observed the airplane lift off the runway after a ground roll of about 800 to 1,000 feet. It appeared that the airplane was about 4 to 5 feet above the runway when the right wing dipped downward and then leveled. The airplane's nose pitched up, and the airplane veered to the right. The right wing dipped again, and the airplane turned right, nosed down and impacted the ground. The owner stated that the "aircraft was checked thoroughly" prior to the flight since it had not flown in two weeks. The owner indicated that there was no "Mechanical Malfunction Failure."
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 1998; 151 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rebel Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3R0 at 10:00 pm
- Destination: VCT Victoria TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,530 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 189°F (87°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1731S on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Aero Commander S2 60 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Aero Commander 709 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 64 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Victoria Regional · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW98LA363.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.