Cessna R172K accident near Vincennes, Indiana, August 5, 1989
On August 5, 1989 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N736JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vincennes, Indiana (O'Neal 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 HAD EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED, MISJUDGED THE LANDING DISTANCE, AND DID NOT GO AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT MISREAD WIND INFORMATION AND SELECTED THE WRONG RUNWAY. ALSO, THE TAILWIND AND DITCH WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1989 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vincennes, Indiana · O'Neal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N736JM · no longer on the register · serial R1722564
- 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: 1,030 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 983 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 932 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1989; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCY Washington IN at 2:35 pm
- Destination: OEA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,450 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from EW, 39 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.