Cessna 172P accident near Hawthorne, Nevada, April 2, 1989
On April 2, 1989 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N99713, was destroyed in an accident near Hawthorne, Nevada (Hawthorne Municipal airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED AND PROPER FLYING ATTITUDE RESULTING IN A STALL MUSH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE VARIABLE WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1989 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Hawthorne, Nevada · Hawthorne Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N99713 · no longer on the register · serial 17276500
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ROTATED AND CLIMBED AT AN AIRSPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 65 KNOTS INDICATED. AT ABOUT 40 FEET AGL. HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING, LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT, ADDED ANOTHER 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS, FOR A TOTAL OF 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS, AND THEN DESCENDED TO THE GROUND, STRIKING THE LEFT WING AND THE AFT PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE PILOT REPORTED WINDS WERE CHANGING DIRECTION AND VELOCITY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLOSE TO GROSS WEIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS IN EXCESS OF 6,000 FEET. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE PLT RAISED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT AS THE ACFT BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PLT DID NOT FILE AN ACC REPORT. THE NORMAL PREVAILING WINDS AT THIS ARPT ARE PUBLISHED AS BEING FROM THE NW. RWY 10 USED FOR TAKEOFF HAS AN UPGRADE OF 0.81 PERCENT.
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: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 969 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HTH Hawthorne NV at 9:35 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10, 4,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.