Cessna R182 accident near Bergheim, Texas, May 29, 1982
On May 29, 1982 at about 6:18 am local time, a Cessna R182, registered N737RK, was destroyed in an accident near Bergheim, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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 29, 1982 · about 6:18 am local time
- Place
- Bergheim, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N737RK · no longer on the register · serial R18200876
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0010 THE PLT CONTACTED SAN ANTONIO TOWER APPROXIMATELY 10 MI NORTH OF SAN ANTONIO INTL ARPT. HE STATED HE WAS AT 3100 FT IN THE CLOUDS. THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO TURN LEFT HEADING 030, MAINTAIN 3,000, & ASKED THE PLT IF HEWANTED AN IFR CLEARANCE. THE PLT AFFIRMED. THE ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 12R APPROACH. AT 0012 THE ACFT WAS TURNED TO A HEADING OF 270 TO MAINTAIN 3,000. AT 0017 THE ACFT WAS GIVEN A LEFT TURN TO A HEADING OF 230. THE CONTROLLEROBSERVED A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT. THE PLT REPORTED BEING OUT OF CONTROL & AT 0018 RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 231 hours in all; 231 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 370 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Denver CO at 6:40 pm
- Destination: New Braunfels TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:18 am from SAT, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.