Cessna 320 accident near Gatesville, Texas, September 26, 2002
On September 26, 2002, a Cessna 320, registered N382MR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gatesville, Texas (City-County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power to the left engine for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the rough and uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2002
- Place
- Gatesville, Texas · City-County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N382MR · no longer on the register · serial 320-0084
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane overran the departure end of the runway after the pilot elected to abort the takeoff following a partial loss of engine power to the left engine. The pilot reported that after returning to the airport he entered the traffic pattern, and during the approach to land, he elected to perform a touch-and-go landing. After an uneventful touchdown on the runway, he retracted the flaps, re-trimmed the airplane, and added takeoff power. The airplane became airborne within 5 or 6 seconds and he retracted the landing gear. Soon after the gear retracted, the manifold pressure for the left engine fluctuated and the left engine RPM started surging. He retarded the power on the right engine, released the back pressure, and extended the landing gear in order to land on the remaining runway. He stated that the airplane touched down on the hard surface while the landing gear was still in-transit. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, collided with a light stand, and some small trees prior to coming to rest from the departure end of the runway. The reason for the loss of engine power to the left engine could not be determined.
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: 3,800 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command; 280 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 23, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,116.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 2002; 213 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 05F Gatesville TX
- Runway 35, 3,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Observation at 11:50 pm from TPL
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.