Beech B33 accident near New Braunfels, Texas, January 7, 1989
On January 7, 1989 at about 3:40 am local time, a Beech B33, registered N1530Z, was destroyed in an accident near New Braunfels, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1989 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech B33
- Registration
- N1530Z · no longer on the register · serial CD418
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT ADVISED DURING WX BRIEFING THAT POSSIBLE IMC COULD BE EXPECTED ALONG FLIGHT ROUTE & THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. DEPARTED WACO AT 2032 CST FOR SAN ANTONIO. AT 2131 PILOT CONTACTED SAN ANTONIO APPROACH CONTROL, PROVIDED WITH LOCAL WX - CEILING 1,000 BROKEN. OFFERED, BUT DENIED, IFR CLEARANCE. AT 2135 PILOT INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. PILOT REPORTED HIS ALTITUDE AS 1,500 FT MSL. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND IN CRUISE ATTITUDE AT APRX 1,250 FT MSL. PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH ATC THROUGHOUT ENTIRE FLIGHT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,110 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,437 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 1988; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N(11) (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ACT Waco TX at 2:32 am
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:41 am from SAT, 17 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.