Cessna 172 accident near Houston, Texas, April 3, 2022
On April 3, 2022 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 1998 Cessna 172, registered N857CP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Houston, Texas (Sugar Land Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain direction control during takeoff in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2022 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Sugar Land Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 1998 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N857CP · no longer on the register · serial 17280518
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that she was practicing touch and go landings. She had just added full power to take off when the airplane veered to the left. The student pilot attempted to correct with the application of right rudder; however, she perceived that the rudder was “locked into place” and required full body weight to apply full right rudder. The student pilot lost control of the airplane and exited the side of the runway which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane found no obvious malfunctions with the flight controls, although impact damage precluded full rudder deflection. The instructor pilot that witnessed the accident reported that the wind had increased past what was forecast and past the student pilot’s limit. At the time of the accident the student pilot was taking off on runway 17 with wind from 130° at 12 kts, gusting to 18 kts; the crosswind was calculated to be 11 kts.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KSGR
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSGR 031753Z 13012G18KT 10SM CLR 28/12 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP152 T02830122 10283 20178 58010=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 22, 2023. 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 | Case Findings | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Additional Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.