Cessna 172M accident near Sanford, North Carolina, March 11, 1989
On March 11, 1989 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13188, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, North Carolina (Sanford Lee County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CARBURETOR ICE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY USE THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL DURING DESCENT AND FLIGHT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS AT REDUCED POWER. UNDERLYING THIS IS INADEQUATE TRAINING IN THE PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF CARBURETOR ICING AND THE PROPER METHODOLOGY OF DEALING WITH THIS PHENOMENON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1989 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, North Carolina · Sanford Lee County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13188 · no longer on the register · serial 172-62557
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD OBTAINED HIS PILOT CERTIFICATE ABOUT SIX WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD LOGGED ABOUT 53 PILOT HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD ABOUT 4 HOURS IN THE C-172 AND HAD JUST CHECKED OUT IN IT. THE PLT HAD TAKEN HIS BROTHER AND A FRIEND FOR A RIDE IN THE LOCAL AREA FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. UPON RETURNING TO THE FIELD, HE MADE A TRAFFIC PATTERN AND DURING THE TURN FROM DOWN WIND TO BASE TRIED TO ADD POWER TO CORRECT FOR LOW ALTITUDE. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE LANDED IN A PLOWED GARDEN AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENGINE WAS INSPECTED AND A RUN PERFORMED. IT OPERATED SATISFACTORILY. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE COLD POSITION.
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
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,335 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1989; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from FAY, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.