Cessna 172N accident near La Grange, Texas, November 21, 2003
On November 21, 2003 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739YK, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Grange, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly navigate during the day VFR cross-country flight, which resulted in the pilot becoming disoriented.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 2003 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Grange, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739YK · no longer on the register · serial 17270911
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight during a day VFR cross-country, the pilot became disoriented and executed a precautionary landing to an open field. According to the pilot, he received a weather briefing from FSS prior to his 3 hour and 50 minute cross-country flight. The FSS briefer informed the pilot he would experience a headwind during the entire route of flight. While attempting to navigate via VORs, the pilot became lost, and the airplane was low on fuel. Unable to locate an airport, the pilot executed a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch and a fence.
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: 3,200 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Voyager Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: GYI Grayson County TX at 5:30 pm
- Destination: BAZ New Braunfels TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 35 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
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.