Cessna 172N accident near Eddyville, Kentucky, October 16, 1989
On October 16, 1989 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733WK, was destroyed in an accident near Eddyville, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT CONTINUING VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: LOW CEILING AND RAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1989 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Eddyville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733WK · no longer on the register · serial 172-68265
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED THREE WEATHER BRIEFINGS PRIOR TO DEPARTING RED OAK; ALL BRIEFINGS CONCLUDED WITH A NO VISUAL FLIGHT RECOMMENDATION. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW ALONG A PARKWAY BENEATH THE CLOUDS JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH A RADIO TOWER AT 230 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
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: 380 hours in all; 340 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,938 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 1988; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Red Oak Aviation Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Red Oak IA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: Nashville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from PAH
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.