Cessna 182R accident near New Braunfels, Texas, May 10, 1983
On May 10, 1983 at about 4:53 am local time, a Cessna 182R, registered N5134E, was destroyed in an accident near New Braunfels, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 10, 1983 · about 4:53 am local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5134E · no longer on the register · serial 18268291
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 2006 CDT, BEFORE DEPARTING SAN ANTONIO, TX, THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BREIFING. AT THAT TIME, HE WAS ADVISED TO EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS ON HIS FLT TO SAN MARCOS, TX, BUT IFR CONDITIONS WERE EXPECTED WHEN HE PLANNED TO RETURN AT ABOUT MIDNIGHT. THE PLT FLEW TO SAN MARCOS WHERE HE PERFORMED A COMEDY ACT FOR A NIGHT CLUB. HE BEGAN HIS RETURN FLT EARLY TO AVOID FORCASTED DETERIORATING WX. REPORTEDLY, LIGHT RAIN & FOG WERE PRESENT BEFORE THE ACFT DEPARTED SAN MARCOS. WHILE ON THE RETURN FLT, THE PLT WAS FLYING ALONG AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH 2 POWER LINE CABLES WHICH CROSSED OVER THE ROADWAY. THE ACFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 500 YARDS BEYOND THE POWER LINE & BURNED. THE CABLES WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 110 FT AGL BEFORE THEY WERE SEVERED BY IMPACT. A WITNESS, WHO WAS A PLT, ESTIMATED THE ACFT WAS FLYING ABOUT 75 TO 100 FT AGL BEFORE IMPACT. HE ESTIMATED THE CLOUDS BASES WERE ABOUT 200 TO 300 FT AGL & SAID THERE WAS RAIN & SLIGHT FOG IN THE AREA. REPORTEDLY, THE PLT STARTED TO PULL UP JUST BEFORE IMPACT.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 232 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T98 San Marcos TX
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.