Cessna 172N accident near Stephenville, Texas, December 17, 2023
On December 17, 2023 at about 4:46 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 172N, registered N4501E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Stephenville, Texas (Stephenville Clark Regional Ai 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing that resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2023 · about 4:46 pm local time
- Place
- Stephenville, Texas · Stephenville Clark Regional Ai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1978 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4501E · registry record · serial 17271614
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that when he entered the destination airport traffic pattern for landing, there were strong wind gusts that were not on the automated weather observing system report. He said the airplane’s descent during the approach was stable, so he decided to continue the approach for landing. He said that shortly after the airplane’s nose wheel landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane caught a strong wind gust that resulted in a weathervane effect and a sharp change in its direction to the right. He then applied left rudder control input, but the airplane veered to the right and off the runway where it impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated there was no preaccident failures or malfunctions the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2023; 5,566.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 5,567 hours total
- Operator: Optima Aviation LLC DBA N4501E
The flight
- Departed from: 52F Roanoke TX at 3:46 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,209 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 am from SEP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on March 21, 2024. 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 Submitted by Pilot | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 Submitted by Goflytexas | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Correspondence - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Airport Report | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photos | 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.