- Date
- July 11, 1989, 20:30 local (Jul 12, 1989, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hatton, ND
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3269LCessna 172H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890711024869A
- Case key
- 17745
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot and his failure to maintain sufficient clearance above the ground. The tailwind, high obstruction (shelter belt), and downdraft were contributing factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft hit the ground as the plt was making a low pass over a bean field to check for grasshoppers. He rprtd that as he was apchg the field from the north, the acft crossed over a shelter belt (trees) which was about 50 to 60 ft tall. The plt stated that as the acft was descending over the shelter belt, 'it felt as if the bottom dropped out of the airplane.' He pulled back on the yoke & the acft started to respond, but it hit the ground in a wings level, slightly tail low attitude & was extensively damaged. The plt's last med cert was dated 2/6/87.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3269L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17256169
- Airframe hours
- 2,717
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Grindland, Ethan P.
- Registered owner
- Ethan P Grindeland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 13, 1988 · 88 hours before
- Departed
- ND20 · Hatton, ND
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 329 total · 329 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GFK, 23 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.