Beech E33 accident near San Angelo, Texas, May 5, 1983
On May 5, 1983 at about 10:49 pm local time, a Beech E33, registered N8314N, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Angelo, Texas (Mathis airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- May 5, 1983 · about 10:49 pm local time
- Place
- San Angelo, Texas · Mathis
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E33 · all E33s on the register
- Registration
- N8314N · no longer on the register · serial CD-1155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG FAILED IN FLT & THE ACFT CRASHED 1 MI SHORT OF RWY 18 DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO MATHIS ARPT. THE ACFT'S FUSELAGE WAS STREAKED WITH FRESH OIL. THE RIGID OIL PRESSURE LINE, EXTENDING FROM THE ENG TO THE FIREWALL, FAILED DUE TOFATIGUE CRACKING FROM MULTIPLE ORIGINS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF THE LINE AT THE BEGINNING OF A HEAVILY FLARED RADIUS. THE PARTS CATALOG FOR THE BE-E33 REQUIRES A FLEXIBLE HOSE. THE ENG HAD BEEN OVERHAULED ON 7/20/82, 121 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHEN THE RIGID LINE WAS INSTALLED IN PLACE OF FLEXIBLE HOSE. AS A RESULT OF THE OIL STARVATION THE #4 CONROD FAILED.
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: 850 hours in all; 850 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1983; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-KNC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 21XS Big Spring TX
- Destination: AUS Austin TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Observation at 5:47 pm from SJT
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.