Cessna 177 accident near Houston, Texas, March 3, 1985
On March 3, 1985 at about 10:01 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29460, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (David W. Hooks Memorial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- March 3, 1985 · about 10:01 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · David W. Hooks Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29460 · no longer on the register · serial 17700902
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE FOURTH TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON RWY 17R POWER WAS APPLIED AND A NORMAL CLIMB INIIATED. AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL POWER WAS REDUCED; THE ENGINE DEVELOPED HEAVY VIBRATIONS AND APRX 50% POWER LOSS. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL FROM THE PRIVATE PLT RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION AND INITIALLY TURNED RIGHT FOLLOWED BY A LEFT DOWNWIND TURN. AT 45-60 DEGREES ANGLE-OF-BANK THE ACFT TURNED APRX 190 DEGREES IN AN EFFORT TO LAND ON RWY 35L. ACCORDING TO THE CFI THE ACFT STALLED AND CONTACTED THE GROUND LEFT WING FIRST. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT CONTINUITY IN THE MIXTURE CONTROL SYSTEM DID NOT EXIST. NO ATTACKING HARDWARE THAT WOULD CONNECT THE MIXTURE LINKAGE TO THE CARBURETOR WAS INSTALLED BY THE OPERATOR 13.8 FLT HOURS AD 35 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WIND AT THE TIME OF THE FORCED LANDING WAS FORM 180 DEGREES AT 18 GUSTING TO 28 KTS. AFTER RE-RIGGING THE MIXTURE CONTROL LINKAGE AND REPAIRING IMPACT ENGINE DAMAGE THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFULLY TEST-RUN.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 910 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 861 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,273 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 27, 1985; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Champion Aviation INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 7,000 ft by 110 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 18 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:01 pm from DWH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.