Cessna 172R accident near Lufkin, Texas, October 20, 2007
On October 20, 2007 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N172GH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lufkin, Texas (Angelina County Airport). It was a personal 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 improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2007 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 2007
- Place
- Lufkin, Texas · Angelina County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N172GH · registry record · serial 17280192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 64-hour student pilot lost control of the airplane when the airplane bounced during a hard landing on runway 15. The pilot deployed full flaps soon after turning final approach; however, he believed that the airplane was too high on final approach so he elected to slip the airplane to increase his rate of descent while he attempted to maintain 70 knots on final approach. As the airplane approached the runway the pilot discontinued the landing slip; however, a high rate of descent had developed and the airplane landed hard. Following the hard landing, the airplane bounced and a porpoise developed. Examination of the airplane reveled that the nose gear tire had been blown during the hard landing. Further examination revealed that the engine firewall had sustained structural damage. The winds at the time of the mishap were reported from 190 degrees at 18 knots.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 64 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,091 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2007; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Harvey and Rihn Aviation, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: T41 La Porte TX at 4:30 pm
- Destination: KLFK Lufkin TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 4,309 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KLFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N172GH on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 2,646 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Angelina County · nearest airport
- LA Porte Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,235 since 1982 · 1,056 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,945 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DFW08CA033.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.