Cessna 172M accident near Lubbock, Texas, August 27, 2025
On August 27, 2025 at about 2:20 am local time, a 1973 Cessna 172M, registered N92356, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Lubbock, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s mismanagement of available fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2025 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Lubbock, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1973 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N92356 · registry record · serial 17261567
- 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 he completed a 200 nautical mile cross country flight, then returned to the departure airport for touch-and-go landings. During the second touch-and-go, the engine experienced a loss of power about 200 to 300 ft agl. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and executed a forced landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. After the accident the pilot reported that he did not switch the fuel selector to the tank with available fuel. The airplane contained about 36 gallons of fuel; 18 gallons in each fuel tank. The total flight time was about 2 hours and 20 minutes. The estimated fuel consumption rate for this engine was 8 gallons per hour.
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
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 118.7 hours in all; 13.9 in this make and model; 49.8 in the last 90 days; 19.8 in the last 30 days; 84.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 27, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,751.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 2025; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 4,731 hours total
- Operator: Hub City Aviation Academy LLC
The flight
- Departed from: LBB Lubbock TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KLBB, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLBB 270153Z 08012KT 10SM BKN120 23/18 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP186 T02280183
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 4, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N92356 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN25LA355.