Cessna 172N accident near New Richmond, Wisconsin, May 6, 1990
On May 6, 1990 at about 5:59 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N76089, was destroyed in an accident near New Richmond, Wisconsin (New Richmond Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO AVOID A STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR RELATED RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 1990 · about 5:59 pm local time
- Place
- New Richmond, Wisconsin · New Richmond Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N76089 · no longer on the register · serial 17268119
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON HIS 1ST FLT AFTER BEING CHECKED OUT IN THE CESSNA 172 ACFT. DURING AN APCH WITH A QUARTERING HEADWIND, HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. A WITNESS RPRTD THE ACFT BEGAN A STEEP CLIMB, THEN WENT INTO A STEEP RIGHT TURN. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A STALL/SPIN & IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 66 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no 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-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: STP St Paul MN at 5:12 pm
- Destination: RNH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:45 pm from STP, 26 miles away
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.