Cessna 172P accident near El Paso, Texas, July 3, 1991
On July 3, 1991, a Cessna 172P, registered N5488K, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas. It was an aerial observation 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 POWER LOSS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS WERE THE ICING CONDITIONS, LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING, AND THE GUSTY TAIL WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1991
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5488K · no longer on the register · serial 17274154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE WAS DESCENDING AFTER CROSSING A MOUNTAIN RIDGE LINE, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, HOWEVER, THE PILOT LOCATED A NARROW GRAVEL ROAD AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING. THE LANDING WAS MADE WITH A 13 TO 16 KNOT TAIL WIND. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE PILOT LOST CONTROL, THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT, AND NOSED OVER. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND ON THE ENGINE. THE PILOT, IN HIS INITIAL INTERVIEW, STATED THAT HE SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICE. A REVIEW OF THE ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATED THAT, FOR THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED, THERE WAS A THREAT OF VISIBLE CARBURETOR ICE AT BOTH RATED ENGINE POWER AND GLIDE POWER SETTINGS. TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 77 DEGREES AND 64 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,340 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 110 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1990; 700 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming D-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Travis Aerial, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: E27 White City NM at 10:10 pm
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from ELP, 9 miles away
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.
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.