Cessna 152 accident near La Porte, Texas, April 12, 2017
On April 12, 2017 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 1984 Cessna 152, registered N95551, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near La Porte, Texas (La Porte Municipal Airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination, which resulted from the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that did not detect water contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 2017 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- La Porte, Texas · La Porte Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1984 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N95551 · registry record · serial 15285919
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a postmaintenance test flight. He reported that no evidence of water was found in samples from the main fuel tanks during the preflight inspection. He added that, during approach to the runway, the engine lost power. He attempted to restore power but was unsuccessful. There was no remaining runway in front of him, so he turned the airplane to avoid a ditch and landed on the soft ground. The airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and firewall. During postaccident examination of the airplane, water was found in the fuel lines, engine fuel bowl, and carburetor. An examination of the engine and fuel systems revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the loss of engine power resulted from water contamination of the fuel system.
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
- Fuel contamination during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,561 hours in all; 173.8 in this make and model; 137.3 in the last 90 days; 57.2 in the last 30 days; 2,480 as pilot in command; 2,250 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 18, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,167.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 20, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 8,266 hours total
- Operator: Harvey & Rihn Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: T41 La Porte TX at 4:15 pm
- Destination: T41 La Porte TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,998 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; ovct at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from KEFD, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN17LA153.