Cessna 172K accident near Fabens, Texas, November 11, 1989
On November 11, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N7337G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fabens, Texas (Macguire airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 IMPROPER FLARE DURING LANDING AND INADEQUATE RECOVERY FROM THE ENSUING BOUNCED LANDING. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND 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
- November 11, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fabens, Texas · Macguire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N7337G · registry record · serial 17259037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN & BOUNCED AFTER A NORMAL APCH. AFTER THE INITIAL BOUNCE, IT VEERED LEFT & THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ARPT WAS ON A MESA & WAS SUBJECT TO 'SHARP AND CHANGING GUSTS OF WIND AT GROUND LEVEL.'
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: 187 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,625 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 13, 1989; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Mesa Flying Assoc., INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LRU Las Cruses NM at 6:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 8,500 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from ELP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 FTW90LA026.