Cessna 172B accident near Spearman, Texas, April 24, 1983
On April 24, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N6992X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spearman, Texas (Spearman Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 24, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Spearman, Texas · Spearman Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6992X · registry record · serial 17247892
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. THE ACFT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE SEQUENCE. THE LANDING WAS ON RWY 20 AND DURING THE APPROACH THE PLT NOTICED THAT THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE SOUTH AND THAT THE WIND SOCK WAS STRAIGHT OUT. THE PLT FURTHER STATED THAT THE WIND SHIFTED TO THE EAST AT TOUCHDOWN. THE PLT ESTIMATEDTHE WIND VELOCITY AS 11 MPH GUSTING TO 35 KTS. THE 1735 OBSERVATION FOR AMARILLO REPORTED THE WINDS FROM 170 DEGREES AT 17 KTS GUSTING TO 23 KTS. THE PLT WAS RETURNING FROM A CROSS COUNTRY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND HAD CALLED SPEARMAN UNICOM WHILE APPROACHING FOR AN ARPT ADVISORY BUT NO RESPONSE WAS OBTAINED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AMA Amarillo TX at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 20, 200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 17 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from AMA, 75 miles away
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.