Cessna 402B and Piper PA-28 mid-air collision near Austin, Texas, July 10, 1982
On July 10, 1982, 2 aircraft, Cessna 402B (N87280) and Piper PA-28 (N5224W), were involved in a mid-air collision near Austin, Texas (Robert Mueller airport). 2 people were seriously injured; 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
- July 10, 1982
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Robert Mueller · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N87280 · no longer on the register · serial 402B1099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5224W · no longer on the register · serial 28-261
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 402B final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT WERE APPROACHING FROM THE SSW & FLYING ASSIGNED HEADINGS. NEITHER ACFT HAD BEEN ASSIGNED AN ALTITUDE. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT, APPROACH CONTROL (A/C) TOLD THE C-402B TO FLY 360 TO FOLLOW TRAFFIC & ASKED WHAT HIS ALTITUDE WAS. WHENTHE PLT RESPONDED HE WAS AT 2300 FT, A/C TOLD HIM "YOU'VE GOT A CHEROKEE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU." THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 5 SECS LATER. THE PA-28 MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A RETENTION POND. THE C-402B LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. OF THE 8 ATC PERSONNEL ON DUTY IN THE TRACON, ONLY 3 WERE ASSIGNED CONTROL POSITIONS. THE REMAINDER WERE EITHER ON BREAKOR OUT FOR DINNER. THE ACCIDENT CONTROLLER HAD 9 ACFT UNDER HIS CONTROL AT THE TIME. BOTH ACFT WERE WITHIN HIS CONTROL &HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODES, RADAR IDENTIFIED & ASSIGNED HEADINGS FOR SEQUENCING. THE ONLY TRAFFIC ADVISORY HE ISSUED EITHER ACFT ABOUT THE OTHER WAS WHEN THE COLLISION WAS IMMINENT & HE TOLD THE C-402B THAT THE CHEROKEE WAS RIGHT THERE WITH HIM.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT WERE APPROACHING FROM THE SSW & FLYING ASSIGNED HEADINGS. NEITHER ACFT HAD BEEN ASSIGNED AN ALTITUDE. JUST PRIOR TO IMPAT, APPROACH CONTROL (A/C) TOLD THE C-402B TO FLY 360 TO FOLLOW TRAFFIC & ASKED WHAT HIS ALTITUDE WAS. WHEN THE PLT RESPONDED HE WAS AT 2300 FT, A/C TOLD HIM "YOU'VE GOT A CHEROKEE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU." THE COLLISION OCCURRED ABOUT 5 SECS LATER. THE PA-28 MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A RETENTION POND. THE C-402B LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. OF THE 8 ATC PERSONNEL ON DUTY IN THE TRACON, ONLY 3 WERE ASSIGNED CONTROL POSITIONS. THE REMAINDER WERE EITHER ON BREAKOR OUT FOR DINNER. THE ACCIDENT CONTROLLER HAD 9 ACFT UNDER HIS CONTROL AT THE TIME. BOTH ACFT WERE WITHIN HIS CONTROL &HAD BEEN ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODES, RADAR IDENTIFIED & ASSIGNED HEADINGS FOR SEQUENCING. THE ONLY TRAFFIC ADVISORY HE ISSUED EITHER ACFT ABOUT THE OTHER WAS WHEN THE COLLISION WAS IMMINENT & HE TOLD THE C-402B THAT THE CHEROKEE WAS RIGHT THERE WITH HIM.
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 for the Cessna 402B 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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 415 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 3,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,870 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TS1O-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kitty Hawk Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: San Antonio TX at 7:05 pm
- Destination: Austin TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13R, 7,269 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 198°F (92°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:23 pm from AUS, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 505 hours in all; 505 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: San Marcos TX at 5:05 pm
- Destination: Austin TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13R, 7,269 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.