Cessna 172N accident near New Braunfels, Texas, August 18, 2004
On August 18, 2004 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739AM, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Braunfels, Texas (New Braunfels Municipal Airpor 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 of the airplane. A contributing factor was the high wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2004 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · New Braunfels Municipal Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739AM · registry record · serial 17270389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 11-hour student pilot lost directional control of the airplane while attempting to take off from runway 13 (a 5,364-foot long and 100-foot wide asphalt runway). The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and the pilot was unable to make the proper corrections. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, and collided with a taxiway sign. The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 140 degrees at 16 knots.
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: 11 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BAZ New Braunfels TX at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,364 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from BAZ
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW04LA215.