The present study gives an apprximate equation of circular cylindrical shell on the basis of Flugges"s exact theory. The longitudinal bending moment .MU.$\_$x/ and circumferential strain .epsilon.$\_$.theta. are assumed to be small to be small and have been neglected. The governing equation of the cylindrical shell, which is generaly presented as 8th order partial differential equation, is reduced into a 4th order partial differential equation for axial coordinate. To verify the validity and accuracy of this approximate theory, the cantilever cylindrical shell subjected to a concentrated load is analyzed. The maximum errors of longitudinal stress and deflection are about 10 percent compared with the analysis by flugge"s theory and are about 15 percent with experimental results.