Cessna 172H accident near Bay City, Michigan, October 14, 1989
On October 14, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N1407F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bay City, Michigan (James Clements airport). It was a personal 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND IN A TIMELY MANNER.
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 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bay City, Michigan · James Clements · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1407F · no longer on the register · serial 172454902
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT MADE APPROACH TO 2600 FOOT RUNWAY MAINTAINING 90 MPH APPROACH SPEED BECAUSE OF CONCERN FOR AN EARLIER WINDSHEAR ADVISORY. TOUCHDOWN POINT WAS FURTHER DOWN RUNWAY THAN PILOT HAD PLANNED. PILOT ELECTED TO TRY TO STOP AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED END OF RUNWAY, WENT UP AND OVER A DIKE AND LANDED IN RIVER. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER.
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: 165 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,912 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1989; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5D3 Owosso MI at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 3CM Bay City MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,345 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from MBS, 8 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.