Douglas DC-3 accident near Bay City, Texas, January 16, 1983
On January 16, 1983 at about 9:00 am local time, a Douglas DC-3, registered TGSAB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bay City, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- January 16, 1983 · about 9:00 am local time
- Place
- Bay City, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3 · all DC-3s on the register
- Registration
- TGSAB · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GUATEMALAN REGISTERED ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE AIRDROPPING BALES OF MARIJUANA ON A BEACH. ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, WHILE THE ACFT WAS MAKING LOW PASSES OVER THE BEACH THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE BEACH TEARING IT OFF THE ACFT. THE ACFT THEN CONTINUED ABOUT 600 FT & LANDED GEAR UP ON THE BEACH. THE CREW UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO SET THE ACFT ON FIRE. SOB & INJURIES ARE PRESUMED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 30,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNK/NR (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; not recorded at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from PCX, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.