Cessna 172K accident near Blanco, Texas, July 9, 1989
On July 9, 1989 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N758AN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blanco, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISIONS BY NOT IDENTIFYING THE WIND DIRECTION ALONG WITH THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND, WIRES AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1989 · about 7:25 pm local time
- Place
- Blanco, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N758AN · registry record · serial 1722943
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED INSTRUCTOR PILOT WERE PRACTICING LANDINGS AND HAD JUST COMPLETED A GO-AROUND AND ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTOR, THEY ENCOUNTERED A WINDSHEAR OF MINUS 15 KNOTS AND STRUCK A TELEPHONE LINE, TREES AND THEN THE TERRAIN. THEY WERE MAKING LANDINGS ON RWY 30 AND THE REPORTED PREVAILING WINDS IN THE AREA WERE FROM THE SOUTH. ACCORDING TO THE SEQUENCES FROM THE WEATHER REPORTING STATIONS IN THE AREA, THERE WERE NO WEATHER SYSTEMS THAT WOULD LIKELY CAUSE VERTICAL WINDSHEAR.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 673 hours in all; 671 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 433 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 833 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1988; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3R5 New Braunfels TX at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,600 ft by 125 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N758AN the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW89LA131.