Cessna 172 accident near San Marcos, Texas, February 20, 2024
On February 20, 2024 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1956 Cessna 172, registered N6762A, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near San Marcos, Texas (San Marcos Rgnl airport). It was a personal 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 pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient clearance from a large multi-engine airplane during taxi operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2024 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Marcos, Texas · San Marcos Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172, built 1956 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6762A · no longer on the register · serial 28862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while he was approaching a taxiway intersection, a large, twin engine, turboprop airplane was undergoing a maintenance engine run on the adjacent run-up area. The propeller blast from the turboprop airplane lifted the left wing and tail of the airplane, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane’s fuselage, empennage, both wings, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot, the tower controller did not issue any cautionary advisories for the turboprop airplane activity to the pilot with the takeoff clearance.
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
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › (general) › Airport personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 775 hours in all; 312 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 704 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 9, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,715.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 4,035 hours total
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KHYI
Weather report (METAR): KHYI 202156Z AUTO 18011KT 10SM CLR 27/11 A3015 RMK AO2 SLPNO T02670111
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 4, 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 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo | PDF, 2 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.