Cessna 172P accident near Billings, Montana, December 27, 1989
On December 27, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N53432, was substantially damaged in an accident near Billings, Montana (Billings Logan Int'L airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Billings, Montana · Billings Logan Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N53432 · no longer on the register · serial 17274748
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT SAID THAT BECAUSE RWY 22 WAS CLOSED HE CHOSE TO LAND ON RWY 16. THE TOWER REPORTED THE WIND WAS FROM 220 DEGREES AT 16 KTS. DURING THE GROUND ROLL THE ACFT WAS HIT BY GUSTY WINDS, AND THE ACFT WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY AND NOSED OVER.
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: student
- Flight time: 59 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,073 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1989; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Holman Avaition Company
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 6:20 pm
- Destination: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 5,585 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from BIL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N53432 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.