Cessna 172 accident near Wilmington, Ohio, February 17, 1989
On February 17, 1989 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N739US, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilmington, Ohio (Clinton County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS, TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: VARIABLE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AND A SMALL TREE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1989 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wilmington, Ohio · Clinton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739US · no longer on the register · serial 17270822
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RPRTD THAT AS HE STARTED FLARING TO LAND, THE ACFT BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT. HE TRIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT TOWARD A DITCH. HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND, BUT THE ACFT SETTLED TO THE FROZEN GROUND, HIT A SMALL TREE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RWY & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AT 20 KTS. ABOUT 30 MI NORTHWEST AT DAYTON, THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO BE FROM 060 DEG AT 10 KTS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 537 hours in all; 343 in this make and model; 370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1988; 452 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Seymour IN at 3:00 pm
- Destination: I66
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,500 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 20 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from DAY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.