Cessna 172R accident near Longview, Texas, April 12, 2002
On April 12, 2002 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N61LU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Longview, Texas (East Texas Regional 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 in-flight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 2002 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Longview, Texas · East Texas Regional 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
- N61LU · no longer on the register · serial 17250589
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While established on a left base for runway 17, the pilot observed a large bird approximately 100 yards ahead of the airplane. After the bird flew above the airplane the pilot lost visual contact with the bird. Subsequently, the bird struck the right wing of the airplane. The pilot continued the approach and landed the airplane without further incident.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 7, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,343 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 5, 2002; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GGG Longview TX at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,109 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from GGG
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.