Cessna 172M accident near College Station, Texas, September 23, 1982
On September 23, 1982 at about 6:51 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20516, was substantially damaged in an accident near College Station, Texas (Easterwood Airport). It was a personal 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
- September 23, 1982 · about 6:51 am local time
- Place
- College Station, Texas · Easterwood Airport · 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
- N20516 · registry record · serial 17261354
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 16 AT COLLEGE STATION TX. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DARK NIGHT AND THE AIRPORT WAS NOT LIGHTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS STOLEN BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS TOO HIGH AND FAST ON THE APPROACH. THE PROPELLER AND NOSE GEAR HIT THE RUNWAY AT THE SAME TIME. THE AIRCRAFT SLID OFF THE RUNWAY AFTER THIS.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Texas A&M Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: CLL College Station TX at 1:51 am
- Destination: CLL College Station TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,151 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 138°F (59°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.