FTW84FA086

NTSB accident investigation · Beech D18S · Brownsville, TX · December 6, 1983

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
December 5, 1983, 20:10 local (Dec 6, 1983, 02:10 UTC)
Place
Brownsville, TX
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Unknown
Aircraft
N44609Beech D18S
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19831205059589A
Case key
21093

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Airframe/component/system failure/malfunctionUnknown
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause
In flight collision with objectManeuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
Aircraft weight and balance - exceededPilot in commandFactor
Precautionary landing - attemptedPilot in command
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Object - wire,transmissionFactor
Proper altitude - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The plt had just taken off at night on a flt to Mexico when he declared an intent to return & land with some unspecified emergency. While he was using his radio, the sound of both engs, running at hi power, was audible. When asked if he required assistance, he gave an affirmative reply, but when asked if he required a crash crew, he gave a negative reply. Shortly after that, the acft collided with power lines about 1 mi from the rwy, then impacted the ground & was demolished by fire. Impact with the power lines occurred at about 55 ft AGL. A wire impact mark on the nose door indicated the acft was in a vertical bank when the collision occurred. An exam of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact/mechanical malfunction or failure; however, there was extensive damage from fire. There was evidence that the acft was loaded beyond its max certificated gross wt. The plt had a temporary U.S. License based on his canadian license.

Aircraft

Registration
N44609
Reported as
Beech D18S
Category
Airplane
Serial number
A17
Engine
P&W R-985-AN14, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
Isabel Castillo
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Destination
Torreon
Airport
BRO · Brownsville Int'L, runway 13R, 7,400 × 150 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
27
Certificates
Foreign, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Medical
Unknown, Unknown
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
310° at 3 knots
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
16,000 ft broken
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
BRO, 2 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N44609 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.