Cessna 172 accident near Sugar Land, Texas, December 27, 2018
On December 27, 2018 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1999 Cessna 172, registered N17SJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Sugar Land, Texas (Sugar Land Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2018 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sugar Land, Texas · Sugar Land Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 1999 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N17SJ · registry record · serial 172S8344
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, while taking off for a stop-and-go landing, he applied full power, and the airplane drifted left. He corrected with right rudder, but the airplane continued left. He reduced power to idle to abort the takeoff, but the airplane "continued out of control to the left." He applied brakes and opposite rudder, but the airplane exited the runway to the left and struck an airport sign, the left main landing gear separated, and the airplane came to rest about 200 ft past the sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Part(s) separation from AC 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 › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 98 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 13.3 in the last 90 days; 9.1 in the last 30 days; 17.2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Anson Air Llc
The flight
- Departed from: SGR Sugar Land TX at 6:15 pm
- Destination: SGR Sugar Land TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KSGR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 14, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.