Cessna 501SP accident near Crystal City, Texas, September 20, 1982
On September 20, 1982 at about 4:27 pm local time, a Cessna 501SP, registered N50US, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal City, Texas (Chaconcreek Ranch airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 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
- September 20, 1982 · about 4:27 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal City, Texas · Chaconcreek Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 501SP · all 501SPs on the register
- Registration
- N50US · registry record · serial 501-0132
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN 10 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR FAILED WHEN IT CONTACTED THE RAISED LIP OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. AFTER THE GEAR FAILURE, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH FENCE POSTS. THE SIX OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED.
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: 6,756 hours in all; 930 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 6,457 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 771 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,850 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W JT15D-1A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: U.S. Companies INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C Addison TX at 10:06 am
- Destination: C Crystal City TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 2,900 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.