Cessna 172M accident near Breckenridge, Texas, April 17, 1982
On April 17, 1982 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61923, was substantially damaged in an accident near Breckenridge, Texas (Stephens County 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 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
- April 17, 1982 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Breckenridge, Texas · Stephens County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61923 · registry record · serial 17264888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT AN EN ROUTE AIRPORT WHILE THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE EN ROUTE AIRPORT, HE ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 03 IN WINDS FROM 010 DEGREES AT 10 KTS GUSTING TO 27 KTS. THE STUDENT REPORTED THAT ON FINAL APPROACH, HE LOWERED 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND CONTINUED WITH A CRAB TO THE LEFT. REPORTEDLY DURING TOUCHDOWN, HE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUST OF WIND AND SUDDENLY FOUND THE PLANE ABOUT 6 TO 8 FT ABOVE THE RUNWAY. HE HELD SLIGHT UP ELEVATOR HOPING THE PLANE WOULD SETTLE TO THE RUNWAY, BUT THE NOSE FELL AND THE PLANE BOUNCED 2 TIMES. AFTER THE PLANE WAS SLOWED DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT NOTICED A FLAT NOSE TIRE. HE CLEARED THE RUNWAY AND SHUT DOWN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER AND FIREWALL WERE BENT. REPORTEDLY, THE STUDENT HAD RECEIVED NO INSTRUCTION IN CROSSWIND LANDINGS OR RECOVERY FROM BOUNCED LANDINGS.
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: 35 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,484 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tarrant Aero Assc.
The flight
- Departed from: F72 Ft Worth TX at 10:50 am
- Destination: Lamesa TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 3, 2,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:30 pm from BKD
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.
Other NTSB records under N61923 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.