Cessna 172XP accident near Leona, Texas, May 26, 1990
On May 26, 1990 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172XP, registered N1650V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leona, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO A TOTALLY OBSTRUCTED AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN WHICH THE FORCED LANDING HAD TO BE PERFORMED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1990 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Leona, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172XP · all 172XPs on the register
- Registration
- N1650V · no longer on the register · serial R1722207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE ABRUPTLY LOST COMPLETE POWER DUE TO THE PRIMARY AND ALTERNATE AIR INLETS BECOMING BLOCKED BY A FOREIGN OBJECT, A RAT'S NEST. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO THE ONLY SUITABLE AREA AVAILABLE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT; HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THREE FENCES. THE BLOCKAGE OCCURRED WHEN THE AIR INLET SPRING FAILED AND ALLOWED THE RAT'S NEST TO ENTER THE MAIN AIR INLET THROAT RESULTING IN AIR STARVATION TO THE ENGINE.
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: 2,100 hours in all; 1,030 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,074 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OOR Livingston TX at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:51 pm from LFK, 40 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.