Miller International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mcallen, Texas 78501
Sunday, March 14, 1982 20:19 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 18 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT RADIOED THAT THE NO. 2 ENGINE HAD LOST POWER AND THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO LAND AT MCALLEN, TX. WHILE APPROACHING TO LAND, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 400 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND 115 FEET RIGHT OF THE APPROACH LIGHTS. DURING IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE, IN ABOUT A 150 DEGREE RIGHT ROLL AND 15 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. AFTER IMPACT, AN INTENSE FIRE ERUPTED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE EXCEPT THAT THE RIGHT PROPELLER BLADES WERE SET AT 65 DEGREES. THE ANGLE OF THE BLADES SHOULD HAVE BEEN 86 DEGREES WHEN IN THE FULL FEATHERED POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 753 LBS OVER ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITH THE GEAR DOWN AND FLAPS UP, THE VMC WAS CALCULATED TO BE 92 MPH WITH THE PROPELLER WINDMILLING AND 87 MPH WITH THE PROPELLER FEATHERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/14/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2019
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MCALLEN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78501
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport MILLER INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MFE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 2000
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MF3
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 79
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1359
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9846Z
NTSB Number FTW82DA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C-45H
Aircraft Series Identifier C-45H
Aircraft Serial Number AF-397
Certified Max Gross Weight 8750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 4544
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT RAMOS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 817 TORONTO
Aircraft Owner City MCALLEN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT RAMOS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 817 TORONTO
Operator City MCALLEN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78501
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MFE
Departure City MCALLEN
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1941
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City VERACRUZ
Destination State MX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 7103
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --