Cessna 172M accident near Baytown, Texas, January 23, 1993
On January 23, 1993 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73405, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baytown, Texas (Humphrey airport). 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 LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE IN THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1993 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Baytown, Texas · Humphrey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73405 · no longer on the register · serial 17267434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT RECOGNIZED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, HOWEVER, HE FELT THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD RUN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. GROUND SPEED AT THE TIME OF ABORT WAS 55 TO 60 KNOTS. HE INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE BY APPLYING FULL RUDDER. FOLLOWING THE GROUND LOOP THE AIRPLANE SLID INTO A DITCH. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE IN THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,010 hours in all; 233 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 2,854 as pilot in command; 1,025 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Intercoastal INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HPY at 2:45 pm
- Destination: HPY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,994 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from HOU, 30 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.
Other NTSB records under N73405 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.