Cessna 172M accident near Lindale, Texas, December 25, 1986
On December 25, 1986 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12525, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lindale, Texas (Grass Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- December 25, 1986 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lindale, Texas · Grass Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12525 · registry record · serial 17262040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED HIS AIRCRAFT WHILE ATTEMPTING A LANDING ON A GRASS STRIP IN LINDALE, TX. THE PILOT OVERSHOT THE AIRSTRIP, AND CRASHED IN A FIELD OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 155 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,467 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 24, 1986; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 203-20 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: NONE Lindale TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from TYR, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.