# NTSB FTW89LA068: Cessna 172M, N5280R, Galveston, TX, March 17, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 17, 1989, 07:50 local (13:50 UTC)
- Place: Galveston, TX
- Coordinates: 29.279693, -94.829887 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2797&lon=-94.8299&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report September 5, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 22847
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW89LA068
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/22847/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW89LA068

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND LOSS OF CONTROL.  CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE:  THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, WHICH WERE BELOW MINIMUMS, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM A MISSED APPROACH.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - below approach/landing minimums (contributing factor)
  - missed approach - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach

## Analysis

AFTER BEING CLRD FOR AN ILS RWY 13 APCH TO SCHOLES FIELD, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 75 YDS NORTH OF THE RWY & CAME TO REST INVERTED ON A HDG OF 330 DEG. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ENG & PROP, & THE FUSELAGE WAS BROKEN AFT OF THE COCKPIT, BUT THE WINGS & EMPENNAGE WERE RELATIVELY INTACT. ALTHO, BOTH OCCUPANTS SURVIVED THE ACDNT, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO REMEMBER THE OCCURRENCE DUE TO HIS INJURIES. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE WX HAD BEEN VARIALBLE. AT 0656 CST, WHEN THE PLT 1ST CTCD HOUSTON APCH CTL, THE GALVESTON WX WAS IN PART: INDEFINITE CEILING, 100' OBSCD, VIS 3/16 MI WITH FOG. AT 0718, THE PLT WAS ADZD OF NEW WX WHICH WAS IN PART: SKY PARTIALLY OBSCD, 300' THIN SCATTERED, CEILING 800' OVC, VIS 3/4 MI WITH FOG. AT 0736, THE PLT WAS ADZD OF A SPCL WX OBS, WHICH WAS IN PART: SKY PARTIALLY OBSCD, 300' THIN SCATTERED, 800' OVC, VIS 3/16 MI WITH FOG. A SUBSEQUENT WX OBS (NOT AVAIL TO PLT WHEN HE WAS CLRD FOR THE APCH AT 0742) WAS IN PART: 300' OBSCD, VIS 1/16 MI WITH FOG. WX MINS FOR THE ILS APCH WERE: 200' CEILING & 1/2 MI VIS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5280R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5280R-2000-01-10), registration cancelled 2000-01-10, S/N 17263494 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17263494
- Airframe hours: 3510
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Adolphsen, Wayne E.
- Registered owner: Adolphsen, Wayne E
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 23, 1988, 140 hours before
- Departed: SHV, SHREVEPORT, LA
- Destination: GLS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: GLS, Scholes Field, runway 13, 6,001 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 22; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 955 total, 760 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 300 ft
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: GLS

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890317004099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890317004099A), Mar 17, 1989: Cessna 172M, Galveston, TX, Destroyed. Flew into the ground during an ILS approach. Weather below IFR landing minimums. Apparently never saw the ground.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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