Cessna 140A accident near Austin, Texas, September 11, 1989
On September 11, 1989, a Cessna 140A, registered N9687A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas (Lakeway 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIDRCRAFT. THE GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1989
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Lakeway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140A · all 140As on the register
- Registration
- N9687A · registry record · serial 15408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DECIDED TO MAKE A WHEEL LANDING ON RWY 34 IN WINDS THAT WERE FROM 025 DEGREES AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS. HE RPRTD THAT WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, A GUST CAUGHT THE ACFT. HE THEN LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL, THE ACFT 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3R3 Austin TX at 11:45 pm
- Destination: 3R9
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:18 pm from AUS, 17 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW89LA164.