Boeing 727-200 accident near Lampasas, Texas, March 4, 1984
On March 4, 1984 at about 9:33 pm local time, a Boeing 727-200, registered N471BN, suffered minor damage in an accident near Lampasas, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 44 others were 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
- March 4, 1984 · about 9:33 pm local time
- Place
- Lampasas, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 44 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-200 · all 727-200s on the register
- Registration
- N471BN · no longer on the register · serial 21669
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN RECEIVED A COMPANY BRIEFING PRIOR TO THE FLT. A CONVECTIVE SIGMET WAS IN EFFECT & TURBULENCE WAS FORCAST FOR THE AREA. DURING FLT, THE ACFT WAS MANUEVERED TO AVOID TURBULENCE. THE ACFT WAS CLEAR OF CLOUDS & IN A THIN HAZE LAYER WHEN THE CREW FELT A LIGHT BUMP. THE SEAT BELT SIGN WAS TURNED ON, THE AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED & THE THROTTLES WERE RETARDED. HOWEVER, WITHIN SECONDS, THE ACFT WAS SUBJECTED TO NEGATIVE 'G' LOADING. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE COMPLETING A BEVERAGE SERVICE & DID NOT HAVE TIME TO 'STRAP IN.' ONE FLT ATTENDANT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED & 3 OTHERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,180 hours in all; 9,000 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 29, 1984; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 172,600 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9A (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Braniff INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX at 9:17 pm
- Destination: DFW Dallas/Ft Worth TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft; not recorded at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from SAT, 100 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Passengers | 40 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N471BN the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.