Boeing E75 accident near Sterling City, Texas, May 3, 1982
On May 3, 1982 at about 1:00 am local time, a Boeing E75, registered N5374N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling City, Texas. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- May 3, 1982 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Sterling City, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing E75 · all E75s on the register
- Registration
- N5374N · registry record · serial 75-5460
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT FROM DEVINE, TX TO MONTANA FOR THE OWNER. HE RECEIVED ABOUT A HALF-HOUR OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN THE AIRCRAFT AND THEN DEPARTED. SEVERAL EN ROUTE STOPS WERE MADE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CHECKED THE FUEL CONSUMPTION WHILE EN ROUTE FROM POINT TO POINT. WHEN HE LANDED AT SAN ANGELO, TX, THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED JUST UNDER 1/2 FULL. HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO BIG SPRINGS, TX BELIEVING HE WOULD HAVE 30 MINUTES OF FUEL REMAINING. WHILE EN ROUTE WITH THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATING ABOUT 1/4 FULL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON A ROAD, BUT THE LEFT WING STRUCK TREES BESIDE THE ROADWAY AFTER TOUCHDOWN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY BUT THE GAUGE STILL INDICATED 1/4 FULL.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 168 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,489 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,717 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bruce Anderson Construction CO
The flight
- Departed from: 23R San Angelo TX at 4:45 pm
- Destination: Big Spring TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 pm from SAT, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.