Cessna 175A accident near Mojave, California, May 11, 1989
On May 11, 1989 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 175A, registered N7002E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mojave, California (Mojave airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, AND THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WIND INFORMATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1989 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Mojave, California · Mojave · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175A · all 175As on the register
- Registration
- N7002E · registry record · serial 56502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF WHEN THE WIND LIFTED THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL OFF THE GROUND, TURNED THE AIRPLANE AROUND, AND LIFTED THE TAIL HIGH ENOUGH TO FLIP THE AIRPLANE FORWARD TO THE INVERTED POSITION. THE PILOT SAID THE WINDS HE RECEIVED WERE GREATER THAN THE TOWER REPORTED. THE PILOT DID NOT SAY WHAT HEADING HE WAS ON WHEN THE INITIAL PROBLEM STARTED. TOWER REPORTED WINDS WERE FROM 300 DEGREES AT 30 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 45 KNOTS.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,950 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,378 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 13, 1988; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: IYK Inyokern CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 LAX89LA196.