Piper PA-23-250 accident near Bandera, Texas, August 8, 1982
On August 8, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N148AF, was destroyed in an accident near Bandera, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- August 8, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bandera, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N148AF · no longer on the register · serial 27-266
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RETURNING FROM MEXICO, THE PILOT LANDED AT EAGLE PASS, TX AND CLEARED U.S. CUSTOMS. WITHOUT REFUELING OR OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING, HE CONTINUED TOWARD HIS HOME AIRFIELD AT THE FLYING L RANCH NEAR BANDERA, TX. LOCAL WEATHER OBSERVATIONS INDICATED THAT THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINS AT THE FLYING L RANCH, BUT ONLY LIGHT RAIN TO THE SOUTH. APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTH, THE PILOT FLEW OVER THE RANCH OF A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE, THEN PROCEEDED NORTH TOWARD THE FLYING L RANCH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT RETURNED. BY THIS TIME, LIGHT PRECIPITATION WAS JUST BEGINNING WHILE LIGHTNING AND HEAVIER RAIN SHOWERS WERE OBSERVED TO THE NORTH. THE WIND WAS FROM 270 DEG AT 20, GUSTING 25 KTS. THE PILOT APPROACHED AN OPEN FIELD BEHIND HIS FRIENDS PROPERTY FROM THE NORTH, LANDED, THEN INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND, THE PLANE HIT THE TOPS OF 3 TREES, PITCHED NEARLY STRAIGHT UP INTO A HALF LOOP, THEN STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THERE WAS 20 TO 25 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,795 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 212 in the last 90 days; 1,741 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,157 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 426 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AIDS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Eagle Pass TX at 3:20 pm
- Destination: T33 Flying L. Ranch TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.