Cessna 172K accident near Jacksonville, Texas, October 16, 1993
On October 16, 1993 at about 6:04 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N7825T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES TO TROUBLESHOOT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. A FACTOR WAS AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IRREGULARITY OF AN UNDETERMINED NATURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1993 · about 6:04 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N7825T · no longer on the register · serial 17257538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON TOP OF A CLOUD LAYER WHEN HE STARTED EXPERIENCING IRREGULARITIES WITH THE AVIONICS EQUIPMENT, ACCOMPANIED WITH THE SMELL OF BURNING ELECTRICAL INSULATION. SUSPECTING A FIRE, HE STARTED LOOKING FOR A BREAK IN THE CLOUD LAYER TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FINDING A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS, HE DESCENDED BELOW THE CLOUDS AND LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO A HIGHWAY. HE THEN INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE INTO BUSHES ON THE SIDE OF THE FIELD TO AVOID GOING THROUGH A FENCE AND ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY ANOMALIES OR EVIDENCE OF ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT MAKE ANY EFFORT TO TROUBLESHOOT OR ISOLATE THE IRREGULARITIES.
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
- Flight time: 107 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,973 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 5, 1993; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMT Beaumont TX at 4:10 pm
- Destination: HQZ Mesquite TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from LFK, 51 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.
Other NTSB records under N7825T 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.