Fairchild M-62A accident near San Antonio, Texas, December 21, 1984
On December 21, 1984 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Fairchild M-62A, registered N48252, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Antonio, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 21, 1984 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild M-62A · all M-62As on the register
- Registration
- N48252 · no longer on the register · serial T43-7213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A TOTAL PWR LOSS WAS EXPERIENCED WHILE MANUEVERING OVER AN AIRPORT AT ABOUT 250 FT AGL. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN DURING THE FORCED LANDING. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM INDICATED THAT THE PWR LOSS WAS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 531 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 389 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,069 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger 6-440-C2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 74R San Antonio TX at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 pm from SAT, 25 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.