Harris County Jury Awards $12.1 Million to Three Houston Families After Fatal Beechcraft Baron Crash Near Kerrville

On April 22, 2019, Jeffrey Weiss, a financial adviser at Raymond James and Associates, piloted a twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 58 out of West Houston Airport headed for the Kerrville area. Weiss had more than 5,000 flight hours and 43 years of experience in aviation, but the National Transportation Safety Board later concluded that a miscalculation of the fuel required for the trip caused both engines to fail. The plane went down on Hill Country ranch land about ten miles short of the destination airport.

All six people aboard died. Among the passengers were landscape architect Marc Tellepsen, landscape architect Mark Scioneaux, and Reagan Miller. Three Houston families lost their spouses and parents in the same accident on the same morning.

Plaintiffs' counsel argued that Weiss was acting within the course and scope of his employment with Raymond James at the time of the flight, making the firm responsible under basic respondeat superior principles. The NTSB finding that the plane ran out of fuel formed the central factual pillar. Co-counsel Richard Mithoff and Warner Hocker of Mithoff Law joined Ladd Sanger of Slack Davis Sanger in representing the plaintiff families.

The jury deliberated roughly five hours in Harris County Probate Court No. 2 before Judge Michael Newman and returned its verdict on December 5, 2022. The panel found that Weiss's negligence caused the crash and that he was on the clock for Raymond James when it happened. The jury awarded Stanton Welch, husband of Scioneaux, approximately $2.8 million. Jennifer Tellepsen received approximately $5.3 million, with additional amounts for the Tellepsen minor children. Ann Christiansen received approximately $2.75 million, with additional amounts for her minor sons.

Raymond James declined to comment on the verdict. No post-verdict appeal or remittitur reducing the award has been reported in publicly available coverage.