Cessna R172K accident near Brownsville, Texas, February 24, 1997
On February 24, 1997 at about 4:58 am local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N98DE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsville, Texas. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1997 · about 4:58 am local time
- Place
- Brownsville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N98DE · no longer on the register · serial R1722698
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported to the police that he had attempted three approaches into Brownsville airport, and during the fourth attempt the engine lost power. The airplane landed on a road. During the landing roll the airplane struck some trees. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety Report when the trooper arrived on the scene the pilot told him that he was 'enroute from Arlington and had encountered some unexpected head winds.' The pilot stated to the officer that he had 'merely ran out of fuel.' The trooper attempted to extract a fuel sample from the fuel tanks of the airplane; however, the 'wing tanks contained no fuel.' A 'bottle containing an estimated fifty pill[s] of 10mg Valium' was found in the airplane. Several attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Report were unsuccessful. The pilot also did not return numerous phone calls from the Investigator-in-Charge.
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: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F54 Arlington TX
- Destination: BRO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:06 am from BRO, 3 miles away
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.