Cessna 172B accident near Plano, Texas, December 3, 1988
On December 3, 1988 at about 11:52 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N7917X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plano, Texas (Dallas Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION WHICH RESULTED FROM THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO UTILIZE NUMEROUS SUITABLE SOURCES OF FUEL ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1988 · about 11:52 pm local time
- Place
- Plano, Texas · Dallas Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7917X · no longer on the register · serial 17248417
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON A MULTIPLE LEG X-COUNTRY FLT & LANDED AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT TO ADD 'A LITTLE EXTRA FUEL.' DUE TO LOCKED PUMPS, FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE, SO HE ELECTED TO FLY TO A NEARBY ARPT. HOWEVER, SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ENG LOST POWER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, THE NOSE GEAR FAILED & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PLT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED THE TANKS WERE ABOUT 1/8 FULL, BUT DURING A POST-ACDNT EXAM, ONLY ABOUT 3 CUPS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE TANKS. THE ENG RAN NORMALLY DURING A POST-ACDNT TEST.
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: 600 hours in all; 580 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 540 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,455 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 14, 1988; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: J&J Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: F69 at 11:51 pm
- Destination: ADS Addison TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:49 pm from DAL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.