Cessna 172 accident near Conroe, Texas, February 17, 1992
On February 17, 1992 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N738EC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Conroe, Texas. It was a personal 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 INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. A FACTOR WAS THE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1992 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Conroe, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N738EC · no longer on the register · serial 17269911
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT NIGHT WHEN IT EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A HIGHWAY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TREE ADJACENT THE CURVED ROADWAY. THE FAA COORDINATOR FOUND WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY DURING THE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,385 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,063 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1991; 129 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Pineland TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: DWH Spring TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from IAH, 21 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.