Beech A36TC accident near Marble Falls, Texas, May 4, 1984
On May 4, 1984 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N321TJ, was destroyed in an accident near Marble Falls, Texas (Horseshoe Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 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
- May 4, 1984 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marble Falls, Texas · Horseshoe Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N321TJ · registry record · serial EA-189
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT DESCENDED FROM 10,500 FT TO 2300 FT, THEN CIRCLED A HOUSE 3 TIMES BEFORE TURNING TOWARD THE ARPT. AS HE ROLLED THE WINGS LEVEL & WAS PREPARING TO CALL THE ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER. HE WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENG, SO HE ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A POND. AS THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING THE POND, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE. THE ACFT THEN SPUN OUT OF CONTROL INTO A ROADWAY & WENT INTO THE POND WHERE IT BECAME SUBMERGED. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE FUEL GAGES INDICATED THE RIGHT TANK WAS AT LEAST 1/8 FULL AND THE LEFT TANK WAS 3/8 FULL. AFTER BEING RECOVERED FROM THE POND, THE ENG WAS STARTED & OPERATED NORMALLY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,544 hours in all; 628 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 1,372 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 518 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 8, 1984; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F44 Athens TX at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N321TJ 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.