Cessna 172M accident near Linden, Michigan, December 9, 1989
On December 9, 1989 at about 11:50 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N1326U, was destroyed in an accident near Linden, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED FOR FLIGHT. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1989 · about 11:50 am local time
- Place
- Linden, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1326U · no longer on the register · serial 172067014
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF AND WAS IN INITIAL CLIMB WHEN IT WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH OVER AND DESCEND INTO THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS DISCOVERED IN EITHER THE POWERPLANT OR AIRFRAME. A POST ACCIDENT COMPUTATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHT SHOWED IT TO BE 2527 POUNDS. THIS IS 227 POUNDS OVER THE 2300 POUNDS ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 458 hours in all; 77 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 313 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: 107Th Flying Club INC
The flight
- Destination: BWG Bowling Green KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 110° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Observation at 10:50 am from FNT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.