Cessna 172P accident near Le Flore, Oklahoma, May 18, 1988
On May 18, 1988 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N212FR, was destroyed in an accident near Le Flore, Oklahoma. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- May 18, 1988 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Le Flore, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N212FR · no longer on the register · serial 17275238
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BEING USED TO FLY OVER A WOODED AREA & SPOT CATTLE FOR PSNL ON THE GROUND. AFTER SPOTTING CATTLE FOR ABOUT 2 HRS, THE PLT WAS FLYING AT LOW ALT WHEN THE ACFT SUDDENLY ROLLED INTO A STEEP BANK, THEN THE NOSE DROPPED & THE ACFT CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT. A WITNESS RPRTD THE ENG REVVED UP JUST BEFORE IMPACT. SEVERAL TREE BRANCHES WERE FOUND AT THE CRASH SITE THAT HAD BEEN SMOOTHLY SEVERED BY THE PROP. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. DRG TOXICOLOGY STUDIES OF THE OCCUPANTS, LOW LVLS OF COCAINE & MARIJUANA WERE DETECTED. TESTS OF THE PLT'S URINE SHOWED A MARIJUANA METABOLITE LEVEL OF 79 NG/ML & A COCAINE LVL OF 0.13 MCG/ML. HIS BLOOD HAD A CARBOXY-THC LVL OF 12 NG/ML. TESTS OF THE PAX'S URINE SHOWED A MARIJUANA METABOLITE LEVEL OF 56 NG/ML & A COCAINE LEVEL OF 0.2 MCG/ML.
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: 163 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 113 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,220 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 26, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6F1 Talihina OK at 10:00 pm
- Destination: RKR Poteau OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.