Cessna 172 accident near Abilene, Texas, December 21, 2018
On December 21, 2018 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 172, registered N254RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Abilene, Texas (Abilene Regional Airport). It was an aerial observation 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to see and avoid a cell tower wire during a pipeline patrol flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction due to writing down observations about the pipeline while flying.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 2018 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Abilene, Texas · Abilene Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1975 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N254RA · registry record · serial 17265910
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a pipeline patrol flight. He reported that, while he was looking down in the cockpit writing down observations about the pipeline, he felt the airplane pull left; the airplane had struck a cell tower wire. The pilot stated that he did not see the wire because he was looking down. The pilot was able to control the airplane, immediately declared an emergency, and landed at an airport about 10 miles north of where the wire strike occurred. Examination of the airplane revealed that a 4-ft-long section of the left wing was torn off the airplane, just outboard of the left aileron. The pilot stated that many pipeline patrol operations have an observer onboard in addition to the pilot, one of whom looks outside the airplane to observe the pipeline while the other person writes down the observations. He also stated that he could have waited to write down information after passing the tower area.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,919 hours in all; 2,419 in this make and model; 179 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 2,860 as pilot in command; 368 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 20, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,734 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 2018; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 2,680 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPL Temple TX at 4:00 pm
- Destination: SNK Snyder TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:17 pm, 10 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 CEN19LA070.