Cessna 172K accident near Alpine, Texas, February 26, 2000
On February 26, 2000 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N46469, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alpine, Texas (Alpine-Casparis Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. A factor was the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2000 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Alpine, Texas · Alpine-Casparis Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N46469 · registry record · serial 17257290
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon returning to the home airport from the round robin cross-country flight, the solo student pilot bounced the airplane during the crosswind landing. Subsequently, the airplane departed runway 01 and rolled into a drainage ditch. The crosswind was from 300 degrees at 8 knots. Other pilots reported variable winds and dust devils in the area. The student pilot was endorsed for the flight, and had accumulated 70.1 total flight hours of which 48 hours were in the accident make and model of aircraft.
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: student
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,980 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ODO Odessa TX at 4:35 pm
- Destination: E38
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 6,003 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from E38
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.
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.