Cessna 172P accident near Pleasanton, Texas, April 29, 2001
On April 29, 2001 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N64776, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pleasanton, Texas (Pleasanton 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare/touchdown. Contributory factors were the gusty wind and the student pilot's lack of total flight experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2001 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pleasanton, Texas · Pleasanton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N64776 · registry record · serial 17275621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot flew a normal traffic pattern for runway 16. The Unicom reported that the winds were variable at 4 knots; and while on final approach, the pilot verified that there was no crosswind by looking at the windsock. Upon touchdown, a "crosswind gust from 070 degrees began pushing [the] airplane to the right." Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway and came to rest in a ditch. The pilot had accumulated 39.2 flight hours and this was his first solo flight.
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: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 5, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,182 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Stinson Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: SSF San Antonio TX at 7:10 pm
- Destination: PEZ Pleasanton TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,201 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
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.