Cessna 172N accident near Angola, Indiana, April 28, 1990
On April 28, 1990 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5685E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Angola, Indiana (Tri-State Steuben CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHILE LANDING IN GUSTY/CROSSWIND CONDITIONS. THE ADVERSE WIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1990 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Angola, Indiana · Tri-State Steuben CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5685E · no longer on the register · serial 17271919
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY, A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE UPWIND (LEFT) WING AND LIFTED IT. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST, NOSE DOWN, IN A RECENTLY PLOWED FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED 64 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, OF WHICH 1.3 HOURS WERE IN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS.
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: 63 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 38 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 30, 1990; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANQ at 3:40 pm
- Destination: ANQ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from ANQ
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.
Other NTSB records under N5685E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.