Cessna 172G N3888L
4 July 1997 · Powderly, Texas, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 4 July 1997 at about 18:00 local time, a Cessna 172G registered N3888L was involved in an accident near Powderly, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously 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 18:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Powderly, Texas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Powderly (44F)
- Coordinates
- 33.7701, -95.5293
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G
- Registration
- N3888L
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- FTW97LA251
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The inadvertent stall due to the pilot's diverted attention to an open service door. A factor was the inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During the preflight inspection, the pilot added a quart of engine oil. Shortly after liftoff, the oil access door on the cowling came open. The pilot elected to continue the takeoff on the 3,100 foot runway due to a concern that he did not have enough runway remaining to stop. Witnesses observed the airplane turn to the left, enter a steep descent, and impact the ground. The pilot stated that he 'must have became fixated on the flopping door.' Examination of the engine did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact mechanical discrepancies that would have resulted in a power loss.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 172 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jun 1997 | Cessna 172P | Fowlerville, Michigan, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 1997 | Cessna 172N | Lakeland, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jul 1997 | Cessna 172M | Athens, Tennessee, United States | Michael B. Guest | No injuries | - |
| 24 Nov 1997 | Cessna 172N | La Jolla, California, United States | Richard Jones | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Aug 1997 | Cessna 172P | Rockhill, South Carolina, United States | Scott S. Fisher | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 1997 | Cessna 172 | 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 | El Indio, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1997 | Cessna 182Q | Sugar Land, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 25 Jun 1997 | Piper PA-28RT-201 | Whitewright, Texas, United States | Centerline Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 1997 | Air Tractor AT-301 | Edna, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jun 1997 | Cessna 152 | Gorman, Texas, United States | Spencer Jones | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Jul 1997 | Cessna 152 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | Bridgeport Flight Training | Minor injuries | - |