Cessna 172M accident near Cedarburg, Wisconsin, October 14, 1989
On October 14, 1989 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N1325U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedarburg, Wisconsin (Grob Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DELAY OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN MAKING A GO-AROUND AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLIMB AFTER TAKING OFF AGAIN. THE TRANSMISSION WIRE (POWER LINE) AND HIGH VEGETATION WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1989 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cedarburg, Wisconsin · Grob Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1325U · no longer on the register · serial 17267013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO AN ARPT WAS DEMONSTRATED, SIMULATING AN ENG FAILURE. THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) RPRTD THAT DRG A SUBSEQUENT GO-AROUND, THE ACFT FAILED TO FLY OUT OF GROUND EFFECT BEFORE REACHING A CORN FIELD AT THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE OVER THE CORN FIELD AS IT WAS APCHG POWER LINES. REALIZING THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB OVER THE POWER LINES, THE CFI OPTED TO FLY UNDER THE WIRES. HOWEVER, THE TOP OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER CONTACTED & SEVERED THE LOWERMOST WIRE. THE ACFT THEN CONTACTED THE GROUND, BOUNCED, SETTLED IN A LOT WITH TALL WEEDS & NOSED OVER. NO PREIMPACT ANOMALIES WERE FOUND IN THE AIRFRAME OR ENG THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE OCCURRENCE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,019 hours in all; 402 in this make and model; 196 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 909 as pilot in command; 543 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 1989; 73 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: MWC Milwaukee WI at 7:45 pm
- Destination: MWC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,700 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from MKE, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.