Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

August 1, 2025 · Cessna 172P · N62296

Gainesville, TX

Overview

Report Status
Factual report
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 1, 2025
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Gainesville, TX
Aircraft
Cessna 172P (1982)
Tail Number
N62296
Operator
In the Pattern
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN25LA300

On August 1, 2025, about 0802 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P airplane, N62296, was substantially damaged during an accident near Gainesville, Texas. The flight instructor and pilot-receiving-instruction were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that the airplane had a sudden loss of engine power during initial climb from runway 36 at Gainesville Municipal Airport (GLE), Gainesville, Texas. The flight instructor estimated that the loss of engine power occurred 250-300 feet above ground level (agl). The engine tachometer indicated about 2,000 rpm after the loss of engine power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane from the pilot-receiving-instruction and determined that landing at the airport was not feasible due to the airplane’s low altitude at the time. The pilot-receiving-instruction was unable to restart the engine by cranking the engine starter after verifying that the fuel selector was on and the mixture control was full-rich. Before the off-airport forced landing, the pilot-receiving-instruction moved the fuel selector handle to OFF, and the flight instructor pulled the mixture control to idle cutoff. The forced landing was in a wheat field north of the airport. The airplane subsequently nosed over when the nosewheel dug into the muddy terrain. After the accident, the flight instructor and pilot-receiving-instruction were able to release their restraints and exit the inverted airplane without injury. According to fueling documentation, the airplane was serviced with 9.95 gallons of fuel at GLE before the flight. The flight instructor indicated that the airplane had about 40 gallons of fuel onboard at engine startup. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The airplane had been sitting inverted several days before it was recovered to an upright position. As such, the airplane fuel tanks were void of usable fuel when examined. Engine control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the carburetor and the carburetor heat control. Engine crankshaft continuity was confirmed by rotating the propeller. There was no evidence of damage to the crankcase or cylinders, and there was no evidence of an oil leak. The airplane wreckage was transported to a secure storage facility where additional examinations will be conducted. At 0805, the Automated Weather Observing Station (AWOS) at GLE reported a clear sky, 10 sm visibility, temperature 23° C, dewpoint 23° C, calm wind, and an altimeter setting of 30.18 inches-of-mercury. According to a carburetor icing probability chart contained in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, entitled "Carburetor Icing Prevention", the recorded temperature and dew point about the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of carburetor icing at a descent engine power setting. The bulletin states that if ice forms in the carburetor of a fixed-pitch propeller aircraft, the restriction to the induction airflow will result in decreased power output and a drop in engine rpm, which might be accompanied or followed by a rough running engine. The bulletin also states that pilots should respond to carburetor icing by applying full carburetor heat immediately and that the engine may run rough initially for a short time while the ice melts. The bulletin further states that that pilots should use carburetor heat when operating the engine at low power settings or while in weather conditions in which carburetor icing is probable.

Full Narrative

On August 1, 2025, about 0802 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P airplane, N62296, was substantially damaged during an accident near Gainesville, Texas. The flight instructor and pilot-receiving-instruction were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that the airplane had a sudden loss of engine power during initial climb from runway 36 at Gainesville Municipal Airport (GLE), Gainesville, Texas. The flight instructor estimated that the loss of engine power occurred 250-300 feet above ground level (agl). The engine tachometer indicated about 2,000 rpm after the loss of engine power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane from the pilot-receiving-instruction and determined that landing at the airport was not feasible due to the airplane’s low altitude at the time. The pilot-receiving-instruction was unable to restart the engine by cranking the engine starter after verifying that the fuel selector was on and the mixture control was full-rich. Before the off-airport forced landing, the pilot-receiving-instruction moved the fuel selector handle to OFF, and the flight instructor pulled the mixture control to idle cutoff. The forced landing was in a wheat field north of the airport. The airplane subsequently nosed over when the nosewheel dug into the muddy terrain. After the accident, the flight instructor and pilot-receiving-instruction were able to release their restraints and exit the inverted airplane without injury. According to fueling documentation, the airplane was serviced with 9.95 gallons of fuel at GLE before the flight. The flight instructor indicated that the airplane had about 40 gallons of fuel onboard at engine startup. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The airplane had been sitting inverted several days before it was recovered to an upright position. As such, the airplane fuel tanks were void of usable fuel when examined. Engine control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the carburetor and the carburetor heat control. Engine crankshaft continuity was confirmed by rotating the propeller. There was no evidence of damage to the crankcase or cylinders, and there was no evidence of an oil leak. The airplane wreckage was transported to a secure storage facility where additional examinations will be conducted. At 0805, the Automated Weather Observing Station (AWOS) at GLE reported a clear sky, 10 sm visibility, temperature 23° C, dewpoint 23° C, calm wind, and an altimeter setting of 30.18 inches-of-mercury. According to a carburetor icing probability chart contained in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, entitled "Carburetor Icing Prevention", the recorded temperature and dew point about the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of carburetor icing at a descent engine power setting. The bulletin states that if ice forms in the carburetor of a fixed-pitch propeller aircraft, the restriction to the induction airflow will result in decreased power output and a drop in engine rpm, which might be accompanied or followed by a rough running engine. The bulletin also states that pilots should respond to carburetor icing by applying full carburetor heat immediately and that the engine may run rough initially for a short time while the ice melts. The bulletin further states that that pilots should use carburetor heat when operating the engine at low power settings or while in weather conditions in which carburetor icing is probable.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:02 CDT
Nearest AirportGainesville Municipal Airport (1nm N)
Runway36
Runway Length6000 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172P
Tail NumberN62296
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorIn the Pattern
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
CeilingNone
Altimeter30.18 inHg
Observation Time08:05
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data