Beech D18S accident near Brownsville, Texas, December 6, 1983
On December 6, 1983 at about 2:10 am local time, a Beech D18S, registered N44609, was destroyed in an accident near Brownsville, Texas (Brownsville Int'L airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- December 6, 1983 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Brownsville, Texas · Brownsville Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D18S · all D18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N44609 · no longer on the register · serial A17
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD JUST TAKEN OFF AT NIGHT ON A FLT TO MEXICO WHEN HE DECLARED AN INTENT TO RETURN & LAND WITH SOME UNSPECIFIED EMERGENCY. WHILE HE WAS USING HIS RADIO, THE SOUND OF BOTH ENGS, RUNNING AT HI POWER, WAS AUDIBLE. WHEN ASKED IF HE REQUIRED ASSISTANCE, HE GAVE AN AFFIRMATIVE REPLY, BUT WHEN ASKED IF HE REQUIRED A CRASH CREW, HE GAVE A NEGATIVE REPLY. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE RWY, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND & WAS DEMOLISHED BY FIRE. IMPACT WITH THE POWER LINES OCCURRED AT ABOUT 55 FT AGL. A WIRE IMPACT MARK ON THE NOSE DOOR INDICATED THE ACFT WAS IN A VERTICAL BANK WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE; HOWEVER, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE FROM FIRE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT WAS LOADED BEYOND ITS MAX CERTIFICATED GROSS WT. THE PLT HAD A TEMPORARY U.S. LICENSE BASED ON HIS CANADIAN LICENSE.
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: commercial pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN14 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: Torreon
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13R, 7,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 16,000 ft; not recorded at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 am from BRO, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.