Beech C-45H accident near Mcallen, Texas, March 15, 1982
On March 15, 1982 at about 2:19 am local time, a Beech C-45H, registered N9846Z, was destroyed in an accident near Mcallen, Texas (Miller International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- March 15, 1982 · about 2:19 am local time
- Place
- Mcallen, Texas · Miller International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-45H · all C-45Hs on the register
- Registration
- N9846Z · no longer on the register · serial AF-397
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 18 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT RADIOED THAT THE NO. 2 ENGINE HAD LOST POWER AND THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO LAND AT MCALLEN, TX. WHILE APPROACHING TO LAND, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 400 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND 115 FEET RIGHT OF THE APPROACH LIGHTS. DURING IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE, IN ABOUT A 150 DEGREE RIGHT ROLL AND 15 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. AFTER IMPACT, AN INTENSE FIRE ERUPTED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE EXCEPT THAT THE RIGHT PROPELLER BLADES WERE SET AT 65 DEGREES. THE ANGLE OF THE BLADES SHOULD HAVE BEEN 86 DEGREES WHEN IN THE FULL FEATHERED POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 753 LBS OVER ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITH THE GEAR DOWN AND FLAPS UP, THE VMC WAS CALCULATED TO BE 92 MPH WITH THE PROPELLER WINDMILLING AND 87 MPH WITH THE PROPELLER FEATHERED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,992 hours in all; 614 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3,995 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,544 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MFE Mcallen TX at 7:41 pm
- Destination: Veracruz
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13, 7,103 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 174°F (79°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from MF3
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.