Cessna 172 accident near El Paso, Texas, November 19, 2020
On November 19, 2020 at about 4:47 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 172, registered N5XY, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near El Paso, Texas (El Paso International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of control on takeoff during a touch and go landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 2020 · about 4:47 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 P, built 1981 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5XY · no longer on the register · serial 17275266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported while performing a touch and go landing and accelerating for takeoff, the nose of the airplane began drifting to the right. The pilot applied left rudder to realign the nose to the runway centerline, but then the airplane veered sharply to the left. The pilot attempted to abort the takeoff, but the airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck a small concrete manhole cover; the airplane became airborne momentarily before impacting an adjacent taxiway. The airplane received substantial damage to the underside of the forward fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 24, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,622.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 2020; 46.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-D2J (piston); 6,311 hours total
- Operator: Red Arrow Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DNA Santa Teresa NM at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26L, 9,025 ft by 148 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 am from KELP
Weather report (METAR): KELP 191651Z 17006KT 10SM CLR 21/04 A3025 RMK AO2 SLP190 T02060044
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5XY 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.