Cessna 172N accident near La Porte, Texas, August 25, 1983
On August 25, 1983 at about 5:00 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N192AR, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Porte, Texas (La Porte airport). It was an aerial observation 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1983 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- La Porte, Texas · La Porte · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N192AR · registry record · serial 17272016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS CRUISING AT 300 FT AGL ON A PIPELINE PATROL WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE CARBURETOR VENTURI LODGED IN THE# 2 CYLINDER INTAKE PORT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,412 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 3,342 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,403 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1983; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T41 La Porte TX at 2:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW83LA393.