Cessna 172 accident near Cedar Key, Florida, June 4, 1989
On June 4, 1989 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6013E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Key, Florida. 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1989 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Key, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6013E · no longer on the register · serial 17271983
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT FLOWN FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS & HE MADE 2 TAKEOFFS & LDGS AT HIS HOME ARPT BEFORE DEPARTING FOR CDK. DURING THE 1 HR 20 MIN FLT, THE PLT STATED THE ACFT OPERATED NORMALLY. AT CKD, HE STATED THE WIND SOCK WAS LIMP, SO HE LANDED ON RWY 23. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT BEGAN TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT, SO HE EXECUTED A GO-ARND. ON THE NEXT LDG, A SIMILAR SWERVE OCCURRED, BUT THE PLT DID NOT ARREST THE SWERVE PRIOR TO THE ACFT LEAVING THE RWY & HITTING A TREE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING, WHEELS & BRAKES WERE EXAMINED & NO EVIDENCE OF ANY MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTED. PRELIM REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE ACFT, & IT WAS FLOWN BACK TO ITS HOME BASE BY ANOTHER PLT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: 125 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 80 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,775 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFB Sanford FL
- Destination: CDK Cedar Key FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from GNV, 57 miles away
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 N6013E 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.