Beech 23 accident near Wimberley, Texas, August 11, 1996
On August 11, 1996 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2382Z, was destroyed in an accident near Wimberley, Texas (Woodcreek Resort Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed. Factors were the high density altitude, the tail wind, and the pilot's failure to adhere to the limitations prescribed by his flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1996 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wimberley, Texas · Woodcreek Resort Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2382Z · no longer on the register · serial M-93
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot's flight instructor had signed him off to fly multiple cross-country flights to 5 different airports. The instructor had placed limitations on the pilot flying into and out of Woodcreek Resort Airstrip, where the pilot resided, for the airplane to be at one-half fuel or less, and for temperatures to be less than 85 degrees. Thirty minutes of flight time before the accident, the pilot had his fuel tanks topped-off. The temperature at the time of the accident was 102 degrees F. The pilot flew a pass over the runway to 'make sure it was clear for landing.' A witness reported that the estimated 6 knot wind changed direction approximately 180 degrees between the time of the pilot's first and second approach. A witness, who was 300 feet off the end the runway, reported that on the second approach 'he just barely made the trees over the creek and banked hard left.' Another witness reported seeing the aircraft 'in a steep bank to the left and then dive downward.' The aircraft impacted on the backside of the 18th green of a golf course and came to rest in a sand trap.
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: student
- Flight time: 160 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1996; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 5OR Lockhart TX
- Destination: 4XS7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.