# Accident 19970704016829A: Cessna 172G, Powderly, TX, July 4, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 4, 1997, 13:25 local time
- Place: Powderly, TX
- Airport: Powderly Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7701° N, 95.5293° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7701&lon=-95.5293&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3888L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3888L-1999-01-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172G (registry code 2072420, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA251) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970704016829A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE STRIP ONTO HIGHWAY. (-23) PILOT SAID HE BECAME DISTRACTED BY COWLING DOOR LEFT OPEN ON TAKEOFF. ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TO AIRPORT. WAS FIXATING ON OPEN DOOR WHEN HE MADE A STEEP TURN TO RETURN TO AIRPORT. HE BELIEVES THE AIRCRAFT STALLED BEFORE CRASHING ON THE HIGHWAY. PILOT INITIALLY STATED THE AIRCRAFT KEPT LOSING ALTITUDE AND MIGHT HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL. FUEL MANIFEST INDICATED PILOT PURCHASED 26 GAL. OF AUTO FUEL ON DAY OF ACCIDENT. DID NOT HAVE STC FOR AUTO FUEL. ACCORDING TO IA ANNUAL WAS PERFORMED ON 09-05-96, A/C WAS NOT OUT OF FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA251), Jul 4, 1997: Cessna 172G (N3888L), Powderly, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadvertent stall due to the pilot's diverted attention to an open service door. A factor was the inadequate preflight inspection by the pilot.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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