Cessna 172N accident near Leesburg, Florida, July 19, 1989
On July 19, 1989 at about 3:56 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N47ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Florida (Leesburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AS HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1989 · about 3:56 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Florida · Leesburg
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N47ER · registry record · serial 17269585
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHILE HE WAS ON A SHORT FINAL APCH WITH 20 DEG OF FLAPS EXTENDED, HIS RATE OF DSCNT INCREASED. HE THEN RAISED THE FLAPS TO 10 DEGS & ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND; HOWEVER, THE ACFT STALLED & CRASHED IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. THE PLT ALSO RPRTD THAT THE ACFT ENCTRD 'STRONG GUSTS ON LANDING AND (THE) AIRCRAFT BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE.' APRX 30 MI SOUTHEAST AT ORLANDO, FL, THE 1148 EDT WIND WAS FROM 200 DEG AT 10 KTS.
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: 195 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 21, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 3:25 pm
- Destination: LEE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,165 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from ORL, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.