Robertson C-402B accident near Laredo, Texas, January 24, 1982
On January 24, 1982 at about 3:53 pm local time, a Robertson C-402B, registered N4244Z, was destroyed in an accident near Laredo, Texas (Laredo International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 7 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1982 · about 3:53 pm local time
- Place
- Laredo, Texas · Laredo International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Robertson C-402B
- Registration
- N4244Z · registry record · serial 1026
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE EXTREMELY SLOW THROUGHOUT THE APPROACH & THAT THE PLT APPEARED TO BE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY WITH OVER-CONTROLLING THE ACFT. IT THEN LEVELED OUT AT 50-80 FT AGL ON FINAL OVER THE THRESHOLD, ENTERED A NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE & THEN STALLED INTO A RIGHT SPIN. THE PLT HAD FLOWN TO MEMPHIS, TN TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WITH THE OTHER PLT TO PICK UP THE STOL EQUIPPED ACFT. THE VENDOR'S CHIEF PLT CHECKED OUT THE PLT IN THE ACFT DURING THE RETURN FLT TO HOUSTON,TX. ON THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE TWO PLTS WHO WERE ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT FLEW A LOCAL FLT FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS & THEN FLEW TO DILLEY,TX FOR AN ADDITIONAL 1.3 HOURS. WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED THE PLT WHO HAD BEEN CHECKED OUT BY THE VENDOR'S CHIEF PLT WAS SITTING IN THE RIGHT SEAT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,666 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 4,577 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,524 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: C Dilley TX
- Destination: C Laredo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 8,201 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 138°F (59°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.