# NTSB SEA89GA064: Cessna 172P, N99713, Hawthorne, NV, April 2, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Final report
- Date: April 2, 1989, 14:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place: Hawthorne, NV
- Coordinates: 38.480468, -118.640243 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4805&lon=-118.6402&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 3 minor
- Status: Completed, report March 12, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 40942
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA89GA064
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/40942/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA89GA064

## Probable cause

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.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/mush - not corrected, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

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.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N99713](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N99713-1992-02-05), registration cancelled 1992-02-05, S/N 17276500 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17276500
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Public aircraft, Part 91
- Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed: HTH, HAWTHORNE, NV
- Destination: VGT, LAS VEGAS, NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: HTH, Hawthorne Municipal, runway 10, 4,800 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; military, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 969 total, 10 in this make and model, 56 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 75 °F

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.