Cessna 172N accident near Ashland, Virginia, January 15, 1989
On January 15, 1989 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N901ZZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashland, Virginia (Hanover County airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING LANDING AND THE FAILURE TO ACHIEVE SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED DURING THE GO-AROUND TO INITIATE A CLIMB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1989 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Virginia · Hanover County · 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
- N901ZZ · no longer on the register · serial 17271266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT & LANDING IN A CESSNA 172 SINCE HE CHECKED IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL ACFT. THE PLT STATEDHE USED FULL FLAPS AND AN APPROACH SPEED OF 60 KNOTS. AFTER TOUCH DOWN THE ACFT BEGAN TO FLOAT AND YAW LEFT. THE PLT APPLIED FULL POWER TO MAKE A GO-AROUND BUT HE COULD NOT CLIMB OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. THE ACFT WAS GOING TOWARD THE ARPT RAMP SO THE PLT CUT POWER AND THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 200 FT LEFT OF THE RWY WHERE IT NOSED OVER WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED IN SOFT TERRAIN. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT.
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: 66 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,735 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1988; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hanover Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,650 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from RIC, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.