Cessna 172N accident near Knightdale, North Carolina, October 24, 1989
On October 24, 1989 at about 5:00 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737QG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knightdale, North Carolina (Raleigh East 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDING WITH TREES WHILE MAKING AN APPROACH TO LANDING WITH NO ELECTRICAL POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1989 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Knightdale, North Carolina · Raleigh East · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737QG · no longer on the register · serial 17269587
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLT EXPERIENCED ALTERNATOR FAILURE. PLT ELECTED TO CONT FLT TO DESTINATION. ABOUT 20 MINUTES FROM DESTINATION, FLT LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. WHILE MAKING NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH WITH PASSENGER HOLDING FLASHLIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL, PLT ALLOWED AIRPLANE TO DESCEND TOO LOW RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH TREE TOPS. PLT THEN ATTEMPTED GO- AROUND EVEN THOUGH PILOT RATED PASSENGER STATED RUNWAY WAS MADE AFTER COLLISION. WHEN ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB DURING GO-AROUND, IT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAME TO REST. ALTERNATOR FAILURE WAS RESULT OF BRUSH SLIP RING BEING DAMAGED AT OVERHAUL RESULTING IN PREMATURE WEARING OF BRUSHES. ALTERNATOR HAD 57 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 311 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 256 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,875 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 14, 1989; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIV Millville NJ at 2:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,000 ft by 36 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 am from RDU, 20 miles away
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.