Cessna 172M accident near Lancaster, Texas, December 20, 1993
On December 20, 1993 at about 5:00 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13051, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT (ALCOHOL).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 20, 1993 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13051 · no longer on the register · serial 17262458
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING DETERIORATING DARK NIGHT IMC THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 13. VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRPLANE FLEW INTO TREES AND THE TERRAIN ON A HEADING OF 090 DEGREES. THE PILOT CONSUMED WINE AT A SOCIAL GATHERING PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. TOXICOLOGICAL LEVELS OF ALCOHOL WERE THE FOLLOWING: 81.000 (mg/dl) IN BLOOD; 103.000 (mg/dl) IN VITREOUS HUMOR; 86.000 (mg/dl) IN BRAIN; AND 118.000 (mg/dl) IN URINE. IN THE OPINION OF THE REGIONAL FLIGHT SURGEON, THE TOXICOLOGICAL LEVELS OF ETHANOL DETECTED ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE INGESTION OF ALCOHOL AND WOULD HAVE CAUSED IMPAIRMENT.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 937 hours in all; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 621 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,358 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1993; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LNC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 am from NBE, 21 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.