Beech A36 accident near Port O'Connor, Texas, July 15, 1982
On July 15, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N3123W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port O'Connor, Texas (Closed Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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 15, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Port O'Connor, Texas · Closed Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N3123W · registry record · serial E-500
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND AT AN AIRSTRIP THAT HE HAD LANDED AT ABOUT 3 YEARS PREVIOUSLY. BEFORE LANDING, HE MADE A 500 FT PASS OVER THE STRIP. HE REPORTED THAT THE SUN AND GLARE WERE BRIGHT. HE SAW WHITE SPOTS ON THE STRIP, BUT THOUGHT THEY WERE FILLED-IN AREAS. THE SPOTS WERE ACTUALLY TRUCK LOADS OF SAND ABOUT 3 TO 4 FT HIGH. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLARED DURING THE LANDING, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUCK ONE OF THE MOUNDS. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND, BUT ABORTED IT WHEN THE NOSE GEAR HIT ANOTHER MOUND AND SHEARED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPORT HAD BEEN CLOSED AND ITS LISTING HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE TEXAS AIRPORT DIRECTORY AND THE AOPA AIRPORT DIRECTORY. ALSO, IT WAS NO LONGER DEPICTED ON THE HOUSTON AERONAUTICAL CHART.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 9,950 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,360 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Welsh LA at 12:45 pm
- Destination: 55S Packwood WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,400 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 196°F (91°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.