Bellanca 14-19-3A accident near Plainview, Texas, February 11, 1983
On February 11, 1983 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Bellanca 14-19-3A, registered N1264R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainview, Texas (Male County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- February 11, 1983 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Plainview, Texas · Male County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-19-3A · all 14-19-3As on the register
- Registration
- N1264R · no longer on the register · serial 4326
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT REPORTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS TOO LOW TO START THE ENGINE. A 72 YR OLD EX-PILOT OFFERED TO HAND PROP THE PLANE, BUT AFTER TRYING, HE THEN OFFERED TO HOLD THE BRAKES. WITH THE EX-PILOT AT THE CONTROLS & HOLDING THE BRAKES, THE PLT BEGAN TO HAND PROP THE ACFT. ON THE FIRST PULL, THE ENGINE STARTED & WENT TO FULL POWER, THE PLT TRIED TO STOP THE PLANE BY GRABBING THE WING TIP, BUT WAS UNABLE, AND IT STARTED ACROSS THE AIRPORT AT FULL POWER. THE ACFT HIT A HANGAR, 2 CARS & AN UPHOLSTERY SHOP. THE EX-PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD THE AIRCRAFT AT FULL POWER & HE COULD NOT PULL THE THROTTLE OUT. HE REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THAT HE HAD TO DEPRESS A RELEASE ON THE END OF THE THROTTLE IN ORDER TO PULL THE THROTTLE AFT.
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: 624 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 548 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 492 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 28, 1982; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.