Cessna 172 accident near Houston, Texas, April 11, 2017
On April 11, 2017 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna 172, registered N92873, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Houston, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Memorial airport). It was an instructional 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 delayed attempt to abort the takeoff with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2017 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1973 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N92873 · registry record · serial 17261636
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, before takeoff, the windsock showed "no significant wind" and that the control tower "confirmed using a southerly traffic pattern." He added that, during the takeoff from the waterway, the airplane initially accelerated as expected. He further added that "it became clear that the take-off run was not progressing as anticipated" and that he decided to abort the takeoff. He brought the power to idle and applied back pressure to the control yoke. The airplane slid onto the grass embankment at the end of the runway and came to rest on the adjacent taxiway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Weather observations from the airport showed that, from about 20 minutes before the accident to 60 minutes after the accident, the wind varied in direction from 360° to 050°, and the speed varied from 4 to 11 knots, with a peak wind from 360° at 30 knots. The pilot departed waterway 17W.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Takeoff distance › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,820 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,510 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 17, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,518 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 4,518 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Houston TX at 4:50 pm
- Destination: DWH Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17W, 2,500 ft by 80 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KDWH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA17CA232.