Cessna 177 accident near Banning, California, June 17, 1989
On June 17, 1989 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29339, was destroyed in an accident near Banning, California (Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1989 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Banning, California · Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29339 · no longer on the register · serial 17700822
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TEMPERATURE WAS AT LEAST 100 DEGREES F, THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 2,219 FEET MSL, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,400 FEET. THE PILOT WAS MAKING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB. THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL BUT THE AIRPLANE FELT AS IF IT WERE MUSHING. HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND LAND ON THE RUNWAY OVERRUN. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSEWHEEL HIT A SIX INCH HIGH RIDGE OF SAND AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 3,705 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,643 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,409 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1988; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BNG at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.