Cessna 172P accident near Austin, Texas, May 4, 1997
On May 4, 1997 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N53359, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas (Austin Executive Airpark airport). 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 maintain aircraft control. A factor was the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1997 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Austin Executive Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N53359 · no longer on the register · serial 17274726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a short field landing approach at 60 mph airspeed and full flaps as 'gusty winds lifted the left wing and the airplane rolled left,' the pilot applied full power; however, the airplane struck the ground. Winds were from the northeast at 6 to 8 knots and the approach was made to runway 36. A pilot, taxiing for departure, reported the airplane 'stalled striking the ground in a nose down and left wing down attitude' short of the runway. This pilot reported winds were light and variable at less than 5 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
- Flight time: 897 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 645 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,964 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 1997; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-329-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from AUS, 7 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.