Cessna 172N accident near Clewiston, Florida, March 23, 1991
On March 23, 1991 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clewiston, Florida (Clewiston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MISJUDGED WIND DIRECTION RESULTING IN INCORRECT RUNWAY SELECTION AND FAILURE BY THE PIC TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND AFTER LANDING WITH A TAILWIND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF THE PILOT'S TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1991 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Clewiston, Florida · Clewiston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739BW · no longer on the register · serial 17270422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE 110-HR PVT PLT MISJUDGED THE WIND DIRECTION AS INDICATED BY THE WINDSOCK & LANDED WITH A 10-15 KT TAILWIND. AFTER TOUCHDOWN HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT BEFORE IT TRAVELLED OFF THE RWY INTO A DITCH, THEN NOSED OVER.
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: 110 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,855 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1991; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-42AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,010 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 2,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from PBI, 46 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.