Cessna 172N accident near Rio Grande City, Texas, March 18, 2005
On March 18, 2005 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6372D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio Grande City, Texas (Private Airstrip 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 failure to maintain clearance from objects, and his improper compensation for wind conditions while landing. A contributing factor was the gusty wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2005 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Grande City, Texas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6372D · registry record · serial 17272758
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 1,561-hour pilot reported that while on a visual approach for landing, the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and the airplane started to "sink." Subsequently, the right main landing gear struck the top of a fence post at the approach end of the dirt runway. The pilot stated that after the collision, he noticed that the right main landing gear was separated. As the pilot landed the airplane, it veered to the right off the runway and the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer struck the ground.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,561 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rio Grande City TX at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 220, 2,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; ovct at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MFE, 200 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.