Plane Crash List

Cessna 172P N52336

29 July 1997 · La Porte, Texas, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 29 July 1997 at about 18:45 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N52336 was involved in an accident near La Porte, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 18:45
Classification
Accident
Location
La Porte, Texas, United States
Nearest airport
La Porte Municipal (LPT)
Coordinates
29.6593, -95.0393
Aircraft
Cessna 172P
Registration
N52336
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Unknown
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
FTW97LA289

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, as he attempted to close and lock the left cabin window. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's failure to follow the before takeoff checklist (secure the windows before starting the takeoff), and his diverted attention.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of cessna 172P, N52336, reported that he lost control of the airplane, as he attempted to close and lock the left cabin window with his right hand, while the airplane was on the takeoff roll. He stated that the airplane drifted off the left side of the runway and impacted a couple of taxiway lights prior to becoming airborne in a pronounced nose high attitude. The pilot further stated that while in 'ground effect the wheels of the airplane were never higher that 5 or 6 feet above the ground.' An instructor and his student were in the traffic pattern at the time of the accident. They reported that their airplane had just turned final approach to runway 23 as N52336 initiated his takeoff roll. They stated that the airplane pitched up with a steep nose high attitude moments after the airplane drifted off the left side of the runway. They further stated that 'the wings of the airplane started to rock left and right but then the left wing dropped.' The operator reported that the airplane struck the ground in a nose low attitude and in a slight left turn.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
28 Jun 1997 Cessna 172P
N55121
Fowlerville, Michigan, United States - No injuries -
15 Jul 1997 Cessna 172N
N737EV
Lakeland, Florida, United States - No injuries -
20 Jul 1997 Cessna 172M
N13428
Athens, Tennessee, United States Michael B. Guest No injuries -
24 Nov 1997 Cessna 172N
N6463D
La Jolla, California, United States Richard Jones Fatal 1
8 Aug 1997 Cessna 172P
N66098
Rockhill, South Carolina, United States Scott S. Fisher Minor injuries -
22 Mar 1997 Cessna 172
N733LK
Middletown, Ohio, United States Barbara F. Schmidt No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
23 Jun 1997 Aero Commander CALLAIR A-9B
N7684V
El Indio, Texas, United States - No injuries -
25 Jun 1997 Cessna 182Q
N96TJ
Sugar Land, Texas, United States - No injuries -
25 Jun 1997 Piper PA-28RT-201
N8326S
Whitewright, Texas, United States Centerline Aviation, Inc. No injuries -
30 Jun 1997 Air Tractor AT-301
N4396S
Edna, Texas, United States - No injuries -
29 Jun 1997 Cessna 152
N6099L
Gorman, Texas, United States Spencer Jones Minor injuries -
2 Jul 1997 Cessna 152
N69073
Fort Worth, Texas, United States Bridgeport Flight Training Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States