Cessna R172K accident near Griswold, Connecticut, August 5, 1989
On August 5, 1989 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N758QB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Griswold, Connecticut (Lakeside airport). 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
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATED AIRSPEED FOR AN ABORTED LANDING (GO-AROUND), WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1989 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Griswold, Connecticut · Lakeside
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N758QB · no longer on the register · serial R1723266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED HARTFORD-BRAINARD AIRPORT EN ROUTE TO LAKESIDE AND WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL, BUT TOUCHDOWN WAS HARD. POWER WAS ADDED FOR A GO-AROUND, BUT THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT OFF OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL IN GROUND EFFECT, SO HE DECREASED THE FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SETTLED HARD, THE PROPELLER CAUGHT IN SOME DIRT AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 242 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,374 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1989; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Freedom Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: HFD Hartford CT at 2:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,640 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.