Cessna 172H accident near Brookshire, Texas, May 11, 2008
On May 11, 2008 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N3870R, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Brookshire, Texas (Sports Flyer Estates 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 decision to duck under marked transmission lines and his failure to maintain clearance from the fence. Contributing to the accident was the marked transmission lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2008 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Brookshire, Texas · Sports Flyer Estates · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N3870R · no longer on the register · serial 17255370
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The unqualified private pilot was practicing visual approaches and landings on a dark night. On his fourth or fifth pattern, the airplane was taking off following a full-flap touch-and- go when it struck a fence and impacted in a field past the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated he landed about one-third down the 4,100 foot runway and the roll out was longer than normal, but elected to attempt another approach. During climb out the pilot saw the orange marker balls on the power lines off the departure end of the runway, realized he could not clear them, and was attempting to dive under the wires when the airplane struck the fence. The pilot also stated the airplane was operating normally at the time of the accident and there were no engine or flight control malfunctions. Examination of the airplane revealed the right wing spar was bent upward. The pilot had not completed a biannual flight review within the past 24 months and did not meet currency requirements for carrying passengers as required by Federal Aviation Regulations.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,762 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2008
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Brookshire TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.