Cessna 172B accident near Denton, Texas, July 8, 2002
On July 8, 2002 at about 5:02 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N7550X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denton, Texas (Denton Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention and the runway localizer antenna.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2002 · about 5:02 pm local time
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7550X · no longer on the register · serial 17248050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the approach for landing, he was distracted by an aircraft taking off on the same runway. The pilot stated that he was high and fast and with flaps extended the aircraft was floating down the runway. Touch down was made toward the end of the runway. The aircraft was still traveling at a high speed when it ran off the end of the runway and collided with the localizer antenna located approximately 300 feet from the end of the runway edge. The aircraft came to rest approximately 108 feet beyond the antenna. Tire marks were noted on the runway about 271 feet from the end of the runway pavement. Tire tracks through the grass indicated a slight left turn just prior to the aircraft colliding nearly centered through the localizer antenna length. During the post accident examination, no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was noted.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,842 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 2001; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTO Denton TX at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from DTO
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.