Cessna 172R accident near Sulfur Springs, Texas, January 5, 2016
On January 5, 2016 at about 6:35 pm local time, a 1997 Cessna 172R, registered N72AF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sulfur Springs, Texas (Sulphur Springs airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2016 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Sulfur Springs, Texas · Sulphur Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R R, built 1997 · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N72AF · no longer on the register · serial 17280070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was landing at the destination airport after conducting a cross-country solo flight. He reported that, during the touchdown, he lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane crossed over a grass strip onto a taxiway, crossed the taxiway, and impacted a ditch. The nosewheel got stuck in the ditch, and the airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder, left wing strut, cowling, firewall, and engine mount. The nose landing gear was separated at the firewall. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the flight controls, engine, or other airplane systems. Calm wind existed at the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,739 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 28, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ameriflyers Of California INC
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Addison TX at 5:50 pm
- Destination: SLR Sulfur Springs TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from SLR, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on March 17, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N72AF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.