Cessna 172M accident near Houston, Texas, March 7, 1982
On March 7, 1982 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N1117U, was destroyed in an accident near Houston, Texas (Weiser Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1982 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Weiser Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1117U · registry record · serial 17266852
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE DEMONSTRATION OF A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT'S TAIL LOWERED AFTER ENCOUNTERING A MODERATE DIP AT A RUNWAY INTERSECTION. THE TAIL TIE-DOWN RING SNAGGED A RUNWAY LIGHT CABLE WHICH HAD BEEN UNCOVERED BY RECENT RAINS. THE CABLE BROKE AT ONE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF ON A SOFT PART OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED INVERTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,718 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,298 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Departed from: T17 Houston TX
- Destination: T17 Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:08 pm from IAH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.