Cessna 172F accident near El Paso, Texas, August 7, 1983
On August 7, 1983 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N5259F, was destroyed in an accident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 7, 1983 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5259F · no longer on the register · serial 17253371
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO PLTS & 2 PASSENGERS DEPARTED SAN ANGELO, TX, ON A X-COUNTRY FLT, ONE OF THE PLTS, WHO HAD 95 HRS OF FLYING TIME, WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) FOR THE 1ST LEG OF THE X-COUNTRY TO EL PASO, TX. ON THE NEXT LEG, THE OTHER PLT ASSUMED DUTIES AS PIC & SIGNED THE FLT PLAN. DURING AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF WITH 5600 FT REMAINING, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF AFTER ROLLING AN ESTMATED 1500 FT. IT THEN CLIMBED TO AN ESTIMATED MAX ALT OF ABOUT 300 FT. THE PLT ACCEPTED A TURN TO 120 DEG TO MAKE WAY FOR A DEPARTING JET. AFTER STARTING THE TURN, THE ACFT SUDDENLY DROPPED, LOSING ABOUT 1/3 OF ITS ALT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT IT CLIMBED & DROPPED 2 MORE TIMES. ON THE LOST TIME, IT CRASHED IN THE DESERT IN A STEEP DESCENT. NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE PROPS HAD EVIDENCE OF HI ROTATIONAL DAMAGE. THE DENSITY ALT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 6424 FT. TOWER PERSONNEL DESCRIBED THE ACFT AS BEING NEAR ITS STALL SPEED FROM LIFT-OFF UNTIL IT CRASHED. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 38 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT.
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: 71 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 34 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: U S Air Force
The flight
- Destination: PEQ Pecos TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:29 pm from ELP, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.