Beech 65 accident near Zapata, Texas, May 25, 1984
On May 25, 1984 at about 4:00 am local time, a Beech 65, registered N404C, was destroyed in an accident near Zapata, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 25, 1984 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Zapata, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 65 · all 65s on the register
- Registration
- N404C · no longer on the register · serial LF-7
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED DOUBLE ENG FAILURE AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN UNIMPROVED TERRAIN. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE ACFT STRUCK SEVERAL TREES. AN INTENSE POST CRASH FIRE ERUPTED DESTROYING ALL BUT ONE WING TIP OF THE WRECKAGE. REPEATED EFFORTS TO CONTACT THE PLT AND OPERATOR HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. IT IS ASSUMED THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO PASSENGERS.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,700 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-480A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.