Cessna 172M accident near Pearland, Texas, August 10, 1985
On August 10, 1985 at about 1:40 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N1518V, was destroyed in an accident near Pearland, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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 10, 1985 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Pearland, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1518V · no longer on the register · serial 17263640
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE TAKEOFF AND CLIMB WERE NORMAL UNTIL THE ACFT REACHED APRX 120 FT AGL WHEN THE ENG QUIT AS IF THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED OFF. THE ARPT ELEVATION IS 51 FT MSL. THE RWY IS ASPHALT SURFACED AND IS 1800 FT LONG. THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH AT 3 KTS. THE PLT STATED HE WAS USING 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS BUT ACFT EXAM REVEALED THE FLAPS AND FLAP SWITCH WERE IN THE 'UP' POSITION. POST ACCIDENT EXAM ALSO REVEALED ONLY CLEAN FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. A SUBSEQUENT ENG RUN PROVED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAA COORDINATOR STATED ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS WERE RELATIVELY LARGE PEOPLE AND BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FULL.
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: 104 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1518V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.