- Date
- June 28, 1993, 21:00 local (Jun 29, 1993, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Worth, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3987LCessna 172G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930628020799A
- Case key
- 18781
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The power loss for undetermined reasons. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the inadvertent stall.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a cross country flight the pilot lost engine power for undetermined reasons. The pilot reported that he heard the stall warning horn as he approached the unsuitable terrain. Following a loss of control the airplane descended vertically to ground impact.
Factual narrative
On June 28, 1993, at approximately 2100 central daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N3987L, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, near Fort Worth, Texas. The pilot, also the owner, and his passenger were not injured. Weather for the flight was visual meteorological conditions.
During an interview with the pilot, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, he stated that he was at cruise flight when the engine began to run rough. He immediately looked for an airport; however, the engine lost complete power. The forced landing was made to the only available area, which the FAA inspector stated was unsuitable. The pilot reported that at approximately thirty feet above ground level the stall warning horn sounded and the airplane descended vertically to ground impact.
An inspection of the airplane at the accident site failed to reveal any anomalies that could have caused the loss of power. The fuel cells were examined and they both contained fuel.
The airplane was released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3987L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254156
- Airframe hours
- 4,745
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hernandez, Ruben
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 2, 1993
- Departed
- LNC · Lancaster, TX
- Destination
- F35 · Grayford, TX
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 407 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTW, 8 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.