Cessna T207 accident near Brownsville, Texas, December 30, 2002
On December 30, 2002 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna T207, registered N1599U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsville, Texas (Brownsville/South Padre Island 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 due to the separation of the crankshaft. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2002 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsville, Texas · Brownsville/South Padre Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T207 · all T207s on the register
- Registration
- N1599U · no longer on the register · serial 20700199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 2,900-hour pilot stated that the airplane lost engine power during climb to cruise. The pilot went through the emergency procedures, and made about a 130 degree left turn for the best place to land. Post examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was found to be separated between the number 2 and 3 journals. It had no heat discoloration.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 17, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,568.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 2002; 116.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BRO Brownsville TX at 8:35 pm
- Destination: TAM Tampico
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 23 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BRO, 4 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.