Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172H near Goliad, TX — 2025-08-28

Investigation ongoingCEN25LA360
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Date
2025-08-28
Location
Goliad, TX, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 172H
Registration
N8078L
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On August 27, 2025, about 1904 central daylight time, a Cessna 172H airplane, N8078L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Goliad, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he conducted a preflight inspection with no anomalies noted, and the airplane contained about 10 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel in each wing tank. During the initial climb when the airplane reached about 300 ft above ground level, the engine lost partial power. The pilot adjusted the throttle in an attempt to restore power but was unsuccessful and conducted a forced landing to a road. During the rollout, the right wing struck a light pole resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and right aileron. After the accident, the pilot found a spider nest inside the left fuel vent. The fuel selector was selected to BOTH tanks at the time of the loss of engine power. The airplane was retained for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Loss of engine power (partial) · Initial climb
  • Loss of Thrust on Takeoff
View NTSB preliminary report

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