Cessna 172N accident near Madison, Mississippi, August 27, 1989
On August 27, 1989 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5215E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Mississippi (Bruce Campbell airport). It was an instructional 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 FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN PORPOISING OF THE AIRCRAFT AND AN UNCONTROLLED GROUND SWERVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1989 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Mississippi · Bruce Campbell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5215E · registry record · serial 17271774
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT RPRTD THAT DRG A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, BOUNCED, THEN PORPOISED 3 TIMES. ON THE 3RD TOUCHDOWN, THE PROP CONTACTED THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN VEERED OFF THE RWY & CAME TO REST WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: student
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command; 32 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MBO at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,240 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from JAN, 5 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.
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.