Cessna 172L accident near Porter, Texas, July 13, 1995
On July 13, 1995 at about 8:24 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N3967Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Porter, Texas (Williams 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 ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF DISTANCE AND SPEED RESULTING IN OVERSHOOTING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1995 · about 8:24 pm local time
- Place
- Porter, Texas · Williams · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N3967Q · registry record · serial 17260067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A SERIES OF TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS, THE PILOT DECIDED TO DO ONE MORE. WHILE OB THE DOWNWIND LEG IN THE CLOSED TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT 'TURNED BACK TO THE RUNWAY.' THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY DOWN, OVERRAN THE RUNWAY, TRAVERSED A DITCH AND STRUCK SEVERAL TREES. NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND THAT COULD HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: 514 hours in all; 281 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1994; 8 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: 9XS2 at 8:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,625 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.