Cessna 172N accident near Superior, Wisconsin, March 5, 1989
On March 5, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5315D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Superior, Wisconsin (Richard I Bong 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ICY AND SNOW COVERED RUNWAY CONDITIONS AND THE SNOWBANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Superior, Wisconsin · Richard I Bong · 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
- N5315D · no longer on the register · serial 17272512
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON A SNOW AND ICE COVERED RUNWAY, THE STUDENT PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AS HE APPLIED BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, WHERE IT IMPACTED A SNOWBANK.
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: 80 hours in all; 16 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,090 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 21, 1988; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Twin Ports Flying Services,Inc
The flight
- Departed from: SUW Superior WI at 5:48 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N5315D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.