Cessna 172L accident near Huntsville, Texas, April 20, 1991
On April 20, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N5536E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntsville, Texas (Huntsville airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR WAS THE EMPHASIS PLACED UPON FULL-STALL LANDINGS BY HIS INSTRUCTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Texas · Huntsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5536E · registry record · serial 17271885
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ESTABLISHED THE FLARE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONFIGURED WITH FULL FLAPS. A GUST BALLOONED THE AIRPLANE AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT APPLIED PARTIAL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER. AIRPLANE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST, IT DRAGGED A WINGTIP AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS FLIGHT TRAINING HAD STRESSED FULL STALL LANDINGS.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 46 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,647 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1991; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCH Nacadoches TX at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5536E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.