Cessna R172K accident near Hearne, Texas, January 2, 1982
On January 2, 1982 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N758SK, was destroyed in an accident near Hearne, Texas (Hearne Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 2, 1982 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hearne, Texas · Hearne Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N758SK · registry record · serial R1723322
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF, FOG WAS NOTED AT THE AIRPORT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 100 TO 200 FT AND THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1/2 MILE. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT TRIED TO CONTACT THE FSS BY TELEPHONE; HOWEVER, ONLY A PAY TELEPHONE WAS AVAILABLE AT THE AIRPORT. THE PAY PHONE WAS OUT OF ORDER AND COULD ONLY BE USED FOR INCOMING CALLS. ALSO, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE FSS BY RADIO WHILE ON THE GROUND. HE THEN STATED HIS INTENTION TO TAKEOFF AND CHECK THE WEATHER WHILE AIRBORNE. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF AND THEN DISAPPEAR AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL. OTHER WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD A LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT AND A PROBABLE FLIGHT PATH WAS ESTABLISHED AROUND THE AIRPORT. TWO WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY STOPPED HEARING THE ENGINE BEFORE THEY HEARD THE IMPACT. THE PLANE CRASHED NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE INVESTIGATION INCLUDED AN ENGINE TEARDOWN, BUT NO PREIMPACT FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 273 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T72 Hearne TX at 9:10 am
- Destination: T72 Hearne TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:12 am from W2X
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.
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.