Cessna 172N accident near Fuquay, North Carolina, May 13, 1989
On May 13, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733VS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fuquay, North Carolina (Triple W Air Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER FLARE BY THE STUDENT DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING, AND THE SOFT/WET (SWAMPY) TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fuquay, North Carolina · Triple W Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733VS · registry record · serial 17268588
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SOLO-INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT LANDED HARD DURING HER FOURTH TOUCH-&-GO LANDING. SHE REPORTED THAT SHE DID NOT ADEQUATELY FLARE THE AIRPLANE AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A SWAMPY AREA BESIDE THE RUNWAY AND WAS DAMAGED.
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: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1988; 245 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,004 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from RDU, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL89LA147.