Cessna 172P accident near Redlands, California, August 13, 1989
On August 13, 1989 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N51920, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redlands, California (Redlands Muni 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LEVEL-OFF, RECOVERY FROM BOUNCED LANDING, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING. THE PILOT'S LIMITED RECENT EXPERIENCE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1989 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Redlands, California · Redlands Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N51920 · registry record · serial 17274377
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN HIS ORAL AND WRITTEN STATEMENTS, THE PILOT SAID THAT THE APPROACH WAS COMPLETELY NORMAL. JUST AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE FLARE, THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT NOSE WENT TO THE LEFT AND HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER, WHICH SUDDENLY MADE THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT GO TOO FAR TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT HE COULDN'T GET THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHTENED OUT BEFORE THE MAIN WHEELS CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE AIRCRAFT 'HIT AND BOUNCED, AND WHEN IT CAME BACK DOWN, IT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.' WITNESSES ON THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE RUNWAY VERY HARD WHILE IN A CRAB. EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT HE HAD LIMITED RECENT EXPERIENCE, LOGGING ONLY TWO HOURS WITHIN THE LAST 90 DAYS. EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE SEVERITY OF THE HARD LANDING SHEARED THE MAIN GEAR STRUT ATTACH BOLTS, WHICH ALLOWED THE RIGHT GEAR TO ROTATE FREELY.
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: 140 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 86 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-DJ2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L12 at 5:00 pm
- Destination: L12
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N51920 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.