Cessna 172 accident near Xenia, Ohio, April 12, 1989
On April 12, 1989 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4898G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Xenia, Ohio (Green County airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND IMPROPER USE OF THE FLAPS. CONTRIBUTING WAS THE DOWNDRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1989 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Xenia, Ohio · Green County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4898G · no longer on the register · serial 172273445
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT WHEN IT WAS ON A SHORT FINAL APCH. HE APPLIED POWER & ELECTED TO RETRACT THE WING FLAPS TO REDUCE DRAG & MINIMIZE THE SINK RATE, BUT THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED TO THE FULL UP POSITION. ALSO, TO AVOID A STEEP EMBANKMENT AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY, THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE & SUBSEQUENTLY HIT THE GROUND ABOUT 150 FT LEFT OF THE RWY & 5 FT BELOW THE CREST OF THE SLOPE. NEARBY AT DAYTON, OH, THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO BE FROM 250 DEG AT 16 GUSTING 22 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,750 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 3,470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,527 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1989; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,307 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brentco Aerial Patrol, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: French Lick IN at 7:05 pm
- Destination: I19
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,972 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DAY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.