North American AT-6 accident near Port Isabel, Texas, August 3, 1985
On August 3, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a North American AT-6, registered N4434N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Isabel, Texas (Cameron County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- August 3, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Port Isabel, Texas · Cameron County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6 · all AT-6s on the register
- Registration
- N4434N · registry record · serial 88-122044
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT UNDERSHOT THE RUNWAY AND CARTWHEELED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING AN ENGINE FAILURE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE PLT REPORTED THAT INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT 4 CYLINDER HEADS WERE CRACKED AND SEPARATED FROM THE BARRELS. NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED REGARDING THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,815 hours in all; 120 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,314 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1985; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-PC1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 8,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 19 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from BRO, 15 miles away
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.
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.