Cessna 172A accident near Cleveland, Texas, June 8, 1988
On June 8, 1988 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N7317T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Texas (Cleveland Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was 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
- June 8, 1988 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Texas · Cleveland Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7317T · no longer on the register · serial 46917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND FLIPPED OVER. THE ACFT'S BATTERY WAS DEAD AND THE PLT HAND PROPPED THE ENG WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF CHOCKS OR AN EXPERIENCED INDIVIDUAL IN THE COCKPIT. THE ENG STARTED AND AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO BOARD THE ACFT, THE PASSENGER ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO KEEP THE ENG FROM STALLING. AS THE ACFT ROLLED ACROSS THE RAMP, THE PASSENGER PANICED AND FURTHER ADVANCED THE THROTTLE. FBO PERSONNEL HAD TOLD THE PLT THAT THEY WOULD GO GET SOME JUMPER CABLES, BUT HE ELECTED NOT TO WAIT.
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: 3,000 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 1987; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6R3
- Destination: 1R9 Conroe TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from IAH, 25 miles away
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.