Cessna 172 accident near Fairmont, Minnesota, June 9, 1988
On June 9, 1988 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5317K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairmont, Minnesota (Fairmont Municipal airport). 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1988 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairmont, Minnesota · Fairmont Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5317K · registry record · serial 17274061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN A GUST OF WIND PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERING A STALL AND COLLIDING WITH THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS LANDING TO THE NORTHEAST ON RUNWAY 02, BUT PROP AND SKID MARKS ON THE RUNWAY INDICATE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 20. THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST AT 11 KNOTS GUSTING TO 16 KNOTS.
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: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,225 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 1987; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wings INC.
The flight
- Departed from: STP St. Paul MN at 4:30 pm
- Destination: FRM Fairmont MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 20, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from FRM, 1 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.