Cessna 172M accident near Quincy, Illinois, February 18, 1989
On February 18, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N6894H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Quincy, Illinois (Quincy Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ACHIEVE A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Quincy, Illinois · Quincy Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6894H · no longer on the register · serial 17265633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 136 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1988; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STL St. Louis MO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: UIN Quincy IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 7,097 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:05 pm from UIN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.