Cessna 172P N5411K
31 October 1991 · Zion, Illinois, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 31 October 1991 at about 23:55 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N5411K, operated by Stick & Rudder Club, was involved in an accident near Zion, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:55
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Zion, Illinois, United States
- Nearest airport
- Waukegan Memorial (UGN)
- Coordinates
- 42.4495, -87.8398
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P
- Registration
- N5411K
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Stick & Rudder Club
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Waukegan → Rockford
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- CHI92FA020
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES & TRANSMISSION LINES) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE SINGLE ENGINED AIRPLANE WAS OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND CLIMBING THROUGH CLOUDS SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A WITNESS HEARD AN AIRPLANE'S ENGINE POWER SURGING AND OBSERVED A BRIGHT FLASH AT GROUND LEVEL SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING AND FLY PAST HIM JUST BEFORE SEEING A BRIGHT FLASH AND HEARING THE CRASH. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK AN ELECTRICAL POWERLINE AND TREE BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND AND SLIDING TO A STOP. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED WATER IN THE CARBURETOR FLOAT AND ACCELERATOR PUMP CHAMBERS. THE COMMUTATOR OF THE TURN AND SLIP INDICATOR'S ELECTRIC MOTOR WAS FOUND WITH A GROOVE WORN AROUND IT AND A BLACK POWDERY SUBSTANCE PERMEATING THE INTERNAL MECHANISM OF THE INSTRUMENT. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THAT HE HAD TAKEN A FUEL SAMPLE FROM EACH FUEL SUMP ON THE AIRPLANE DURING HIS PRE-FLIGHT WALK AROUND INSPECTION. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECALL THE EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE AFTER ENTERING THE CLOUDS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 172 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr 1991 | Cessna 172P | College Park, Maryland, United States | Civil Air Patrol, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 25 Apr 1991 | Cessna 172 | Detroit, Michigan, United States | Eximous Flying Club, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1991 | Cessna 172N | Napa, California, United States | Bridgeford Flying SVC. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Cessna 172H | Morehead, Kentucky, United States | Roger Wend | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Apr 1991 | Cessna 172A | Hood River, Oregon, United States | Paul J. Welp | No injuries | - |
| 31 Mar 1991 | Cessna 172M | Ogden, Utah, United States | Alta Aircraft | No injuries | - |
All 12,209 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Nov 1991 | Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Simmons Airlines Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Dec 1991 | McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | American Airlines | No injuries | - |
| 11 May 1991 | Enstrom F28 | Hampshire, Illinois, United States | Asteroid Helicopter Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 7 Oct 1991 | Piper PA-12 | Roscoe, Illinois, United States | Robert L. REX | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 May 1991 | Cessna 172N | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Chicago Skyline, Ltd. | No injuries | - |
| 20 Oct 1991 | Cessna C-210G | Freeport, Illinois, United States | Schwinn, Phillip C. | No injuries | - |