Cessna 177 accident near Indian Trail, North Carolina, May 27, 1989
On May 27, 1989 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N13630, was destroyed in an accident near Indian Trail, North Carolina (Indian Trail airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING AFTER A BOUNCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT AND THE TRANSMISSIONS LINES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1989 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Indian Trail, North Carolina · Indian Trail · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N13630 · no longer on the register · serial 17702445
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING ON A 2300 FT RWY IN CALM WIND, THE ACFT BOUNCED 3 TIMES & THE PLT ELECTED TO ABORT THE LANDING. DURING THE ABORTED LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP WIRE OF MARKED UTILITY LINES & CRASHED TO THE GROUND. THE UTILITY LINES WERE LOCATED APRX 450 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS OF THE ACFT WERE RPRTD.
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: 159 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,190 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 1988; 115 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 28A at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 2,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.