Aeronca O-58B accident near San Antonio, Texas, August 23, 1983
On August 23, 1983 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Aeronca O-58B, registered N57714, was destroyed in an accident near San Antonio, Texas (Cannon Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person 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
- August 23, 1983 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · Cannon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca O-58B
- Registration
- N57714 · registry record · serial O58B-8553
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE PERSONNEL. THE PLT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) REMINDED THE OTHER OCCUPANT OF WIRES IN THE AREA WHERE THE WERE FLYING ON BASE LEG. THE OTHER OCCUPANT REPLIED, 'YES, I SEE THEM & THINK WE WILL BE ABOVE THEM.' HE THEN REPLIED, 'NO, WE ARE GOING TO HIT THEM.' AFTER STRIKING THE WIRES, THE ACFT WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,479 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,207 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 29, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,260 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: San Antonio TX at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 139° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.