# Accident 19990706008399A: Cessna 172N, Addison, IL, July 6, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 6, 1999, 08:40 local time - Place: Addison, IL - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.9299° N, 87.9999° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9299&lon=-87.9999&mi=10 - Aircraft: N739ND, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N739ND-2001-08-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 850 total, 175 in this make and model, 205 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA211) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990706008399A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT ENGINE QUIT, AND THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A VACANT LOT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF LAKE AND SWIFT STREETS, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JULY 6, 1999, AT 0840 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172N, N739ND, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING, IN AN OPEN FIELD NEAR ADDISON, ILLINOIS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE AERIAL OBSERVATION CFR 14 PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED DUPAGE AIRPORT, NEAR WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ABOUT 0600. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT ABOUT 1,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE ENGINE SUFFERED A LOSS OF POWER. HE SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT DID REGAIN POWER FOR A SHORT PERIOD, BUT THEN LOST TOTAL POWER AND A FORCED LANDING WAS CONDUCTED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED NO FUEL, WHILE THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS FULL. (-23) N739ND WAS ON AN AIR TRAFFIC OBSERVATION/REPORTING FLIGHT, A USUAL FLIGHT FOR THE AIRCRAFT ON A DAILY BASIS. THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN IN PROGRESS FO R ABOUT 2.6 HOURS WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A VACANT FIELD WAS EXECUTED. UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER AND FUSELAGE. THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT UNDER THEIR OWN POWER AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. ACCIDENT SCENE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS NEAR FULL. (.4) THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE SAID THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND IT DID START UP, BUT AGAIN LOST POWER. HE THEN CONDUCTED A FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT OPEN FIELD. A CHECK OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT FOUND THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED NO FUEL, WHILE THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS FULL. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. A CHECK OF THE FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE FAILED TO FIND ANY MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) 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. - [NTSB CHI99LA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA211), Jul 6, 1999: Cessna 172N (N739ND), Addison, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper fuel selector positioning resulting in fuel starvation during cruise. ## Other reports on N739ND (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19940209014699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940209014699I), Feb 9, 1994: Cessna 172N (N739ND), Chicago/West Ch, IL, Minor damage. Narrative: PIC continued practicing night takeoffs and landing after his landing light failed. After his final landing, he taxied into a snowdrift while… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- 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.