Cessna 172 N5254R

Summary

On 5 May 1997 at about 22:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5254R was involved in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 May 1997 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Wheeling, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Palwaukee (PWK)

Coordinates

42.1309, -87.9203

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N5254R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI97LA121

2 people had minor injuries.

the pilot-in-command's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was the gusty crosswind condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said his airplane was facing runway 30 while doing a pre-takeoff runup. The wind was from 280 degrees at 21 knots with gusts to 35 knots. The flight instructor accompanying the pilot confirmed this and said the airplane pivoted left on the nose gear tire. He said the airplane's right wing lifted up into the air. As the airplane was moving upward, the propeller struck the ground. Shortly after this, the airplane '...went up on its spinner and over on its back... ,' according to the instructor. During interviews, the pilot and flight instructor said they could not recall the airplane's flight control positions during the runup.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.