Cessna 172M accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, March 22, 1996
On March 22, 1996 at about 6:47 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73356, was destroyed in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas (Gillespie County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach and go-around, which resulted in a stall and subsequent collision with the ground. Factors relating to the accident were: the high, gusty, crosswind conditions, and the pilot's lack of recent experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1996 · about 6:47 pm local time
- Place
- Fredericksburg, Texas · Gillespie County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73356 · no longer on the register · serial 17267397
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a Cessna 172M was landing on runway 14 in winds that reportedly were from 150 to 160 degrees at 14 gusting 20 knots. According to the pilot of another airplane, the Cessna pilot's approach was 'too low, shallow, and slow.' The witness further reported that he didn't think the airplane 'would reach the runway,' and as it reached the runway, it began 'to rock indicating he was about to stall.' The pilot stated in his report, that he advanced full throttle and initiated a go-around to abort the landing. He reported that the stall horn 'went off momentarily and the plane dropped hard on the right wheel and bounced back up in the air.' The pilot further stated that during the ensuing attempted go-around, 'the stall horn began to sound again.' The aircraft impacted the ground, and a postimpact fire erupted and destroyed the airplane. The pilot had flown 2.4 hours in the last 90 days.
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: 95 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,882 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 20, 1996; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX at 4:55 pm
- Destination: T82
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,787 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from SAT, 45 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.