Cessna 172H N8078L accident near Goliad, Texas

Preliminary information

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.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA360 for the full record.