Cessna 177B accident near Port Aransas, Texas, May 2, 1983
On May 2, 1983 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N34581, was destroyed in an accident near Port Aransas, Texas (Mustang Beach airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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 2, 1983 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Port Aransas, Texas · Mustang Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N34581 · no longer on the register · serial 17701886
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A WX BRIEFING, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS TOLD TO EXPECT NO SIGNIFICANT EN ROUTE WX, BUT WAS ADVISED OF LOWER CEILINGS ALONG THE COASTLINE, LATER THAT NIGHT. THERE WERE NO RECORDS OF EN ROUTE WX BRIEFINGS. WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 40 MI NORTHWEST OF THE DESTINATION, THE PLT CONTACTED CORPUS CHRISTI APCH CONTROL & WAS ADVISED OF IFR WX IN THE VICINITY. HE REQUESTED & WAS PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS TO HIS DESTINATION, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN FINDING THE ARPT. THE PLT THEN REPORTED THAT HE WAS 'UNABLE TO GET DOWN' & REQUESTED VECTORS TO CORPUS CHRISTI. HE WAS AGAIN ADVISED OF IFR CONDITIONS AT CORPUS CHRISTI. WHEN ASKED IF HE COULD FLY AN IFR APCH, HE GAVE A NEGATIVE REPLY. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS & HAD INSUFFICIENT FUEL TO FLY TO SAN ANTONIO. SUBSEQUENTLY, RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST APRX 2 MI SOUTHEAST OF THE ARPT. LATER, BOTH OCCUPANTS & ACFT DEBRIS WERE FOUND WHERE THE HAD WASHED ON OR NEAR THE SHORE FORM THE GULF OF MEXICO.
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: 475 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 400 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJT San Angelo TX at 10:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from NGP, 13 miles away
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.