Cessna 172M accident near Bellville, Texas, September 2, 1989
On September 2, 1989 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13620, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bellville, Texas (Grawunder 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
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT AND HIS IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT PORPOISE AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE GEAR FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1989 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Bellville, Texas · Grawunder
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13620 · no longer on the register · serial 17262888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,911 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Houston TX at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 2,480 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from DWH, 30 miles away
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 N13620 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.