Cessna 210L accident near Hebbronville, Texas, October 6, 1982
On October 6, 1982 at about 11:22 pm local time, a Cessna 210L, registered N732KH, was destroyed in an accident near Hebbronville, 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
- October 6, 1982 · about 11:22 pm local time
- Place
- Hebbronville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210L · all 210Ls on the register
- Registration
- N732KH · no longer on the register · serial 21061569
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CREW WERE ADVISED THAT THE ACFT'S VACUUM PUMP SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE DUE TO A SHEARED PUMP DRIVESHAFT. THE COPILOT HAD STATED THAT FSS HAD FORECAST 25,000 FT BROKEN & HE DID NOT FEEL HE WOULD NEED THE PUMP. AT 1735 THE PLT CONTACTED CENTER & REQUESTED RADAR ADVISORIES TO BROWNSVILLE. AT 1812 THE PILOT REQUESTED & WAS GRANTED PERMISSION TO DEVIATE AROUND A CELL. 12 MINUTES LATER THE TARGET DISAPPEARED. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL & RIGHT WING HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT. THERE WAS A VIP LEVEL 1 ECHO WITHIN 5 MI EAST & A VIP LEVEL 3 ECHO WITHIN 10 MI SE OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. MODERATE TO SEVERE CONVECTIVE TURBULENCE & UP & DOWN DRAFTS WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENT BELOW 10,000 FT. THE PLT'S LIVER TISSUE PRODUCED 96 MG% ETHYL ALCOHOL & MIXED TISSE FLUID PRODUCED 112 MG%.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,809 hours in all; 709 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L-3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Big Country Oil CO
The flight
- Departed from: Kerrville TX at 5:00 pm
- Destination: Harlingen TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 189°F (87°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from MFE, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.