Cessna 172A accident near Madison Heights, Virginia, June 12, 1989
On June 12, 1989 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N7605T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison Heights, Virginia. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT WHICH RESULTED IN THE INITIATION OF A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND HIS BECOMING DISORIENTED DURING THE FLIGHT. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE LOW FUEL LEVEL AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1989 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Madison Heights, Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7605T · no longer on the register · serial 47205
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 37 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,907 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1989; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W13 Waynesboro VA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: W13 Waynesboro VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from LYN, 8 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.