# NTSB CHI83FA089: Cessna 172, N61558, Rockford, IL, January 24, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: January 23, 1983, 19:27 local (Jan 24, 1983, 01:27 UTC)
- Place: Rockford, IL
- Coordinates: 42.269424, -89.060104 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.2694&lon=-89.0601&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11974
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI83FA089
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11974/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI83FA089

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - overconfidence in personal ability, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - initiated, pilot in command (cause)
  - preflight briefing service - not used, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE ACFT COLLIDED INTO THE 2ND FLOOR OF A BUILDING WHILE MAKING AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 AT ROCKFORD, IL. THE WEATHER WAS IMC. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. A PILOT WEATHER BRIEFING WAS NOT GIVEN. THE PILOT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED. AN APPROACH WAS ATTEMPTED AT JANESVILLE BUT THE LOCALIZER WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE APPROACH WAS DISCONTINUED. THE ACFT WAS THEN VECTORED TO ROCKFORD BUT DURING THE APPROACH WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE BECAUSE OF AIRFRAME ICING. THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR ONE HALF MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N61558](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61558-1983-08-16), registration cancelled 1983-08-16, S/N 17264639 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17264639
- Airframe hours: 3357
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Warren F. Paetz
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 1, 1982, 40 hours before
- Departed: IWD, IRONWOOD, MI
- Destination: RFD, ROCKFORD, IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: RFD, Rockford, runway 36, 8,199 × 100 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 999 total, 744 in this make and model, 898 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 100° at 6 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
- Temperature: 34 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: RFD

## 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 19830123002669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830123002669A), Jan 23, 1983: Cessna 172, Rockford, IL, Destroyed. Ice on aircraft,weather below minimums and localizer inoperative. Crashed into a building during an asr approach.

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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