Cessna 172 accident near Wentzville, Missouri, May 4, 1989
On May 4, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5092D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wentzville, Missouri (Wentzville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE LANDING, AND THE LOCATION OF THE POWER LINES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Wentzville, Missouri · Wentzville · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5092D · registry record · serial 17272418
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT DUE TO MARGINAL VFR WX & RAIN, HE ELECTED TO LAND AT AN EN ROUTE ARPT TO WAIT FOR AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE WX. HE LANDED WITH A QUARTERING TAILWIND. ONCE ON THE RWY, HE FELT HE COULD NOT STOP IN THE REMAINING DISTANCE. HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE LANDING, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR POWER LINES NORTH OF THE ARPT. AFTER HITTING THE POWER LINES, THE ACFT CRASHED ONTO A PARKING LOT. THE PLT SAID HE COULD NOT LOCATE THE WINDSOCK & WAS UNAWARE OF THE WIND CONDITION.
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: 160 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 99 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,568 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1989; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEC Decatur IL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: MO50
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 2,395 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from SUS, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5092D on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 83 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Decatur Airport · departed from
- St. Francis Medical Center Heliport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Missouri 1,640 since 1982 · 219 in the last ten years
- Missouri 5,817 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MKC89LA100.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.