Cessna 172N accident near Rockwall, Texas, March 23, 1996
On March 23, 1996 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737UP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockwall, Texas (Rockwall Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor was the gusty wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1996 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rockwall, Texas · Rockwall Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737UP · no longer on the register · serial 17269688
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the airplane crossed the threshold to land on runway 16, the 'sink rate increased dramatically' and the 'right wing dropped and struck the runway.' After touching down on the main landing gear, the airplane exited the right side of the runway, and the nose gear collapsed. Five minutes after the accident, recorded winds 22 miles from the site were from 180 degrees at 22 knots with gusts to 26 knots.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 425 hours in all; 255 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 364 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,706 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 13, 1995; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F46 at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.