Cessna 421B accident near Cotulla, Texas, August 1, 1982
On August 1, 1982 at about 11:40 am local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N832BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cotulla, Texas (Cotulla Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 1, 1982 · about 11:40 am local time
- Place
- Cotulla, Texas · Cotulla Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N832BW · no longer on the register · serial 421B0235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY BUSINESS FLIGHT THE LEFT ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND DIVERTED TO COTULLA, TX, WHERE HE MADE A SINGLE ENGINE APPROACH AND LANDING. THE PILOT LANDED WITH A 20 KT TAIL WIND, WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE RUNWAY, AND CRASHED INTO A WIRE FENCE. THE REASON FOR THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE REMAINS UNDETERMINED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,051 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TGSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Oklahoma Acft. CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: F29 Oklahoma OK
- Destination: HRL Harlingen TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from COT
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.