- Date
- March 23, 1994, 09:50 local (15:50 UTC)
- Place
- Wheeling, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N97650Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940323008339A
- Case key
- 9497
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was the crosswind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported he was landing on runway 16 and failed to properly compensate for the crosswind component. Upon touchdown, the airplane went off the right side of the runway and the left main landing gear collapsed. Winds at the time of the accident were from 210 degrees at 10 knots.
Factual narrative
On March 23, 1994, at 0950 central standard time, a Cessna 172P airplane, N97650, sustained substantial damage when it departed runway 16 while landing in Wheeling, Illinois. The solo student pilot received no injuries. The instructional flight originated from Wheeling, Illinois at 0925 and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. A VFR flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The pilot reported the flight was planned as a student solo cross country to Watertown, Wisconsin. A local flight instructor checked the pilot's preparation and endorsed his log book for the planned flight. He departed runway 24 at Wheeling and elected to return due to deteriorating en route weather. The tower reported winds were from 210 degrees at 10 knots and told the pilot to expect runway 24. The pilot requested runway 16. In his written report he stated he was "not comfortable with runway 24 because of its length".
Aircraft
- Registration
- N97650
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276218
- Airframe hours
- 1,074
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- American Flyers Palwaukee
- Registered owner
- Ate Of California Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 5, 1994 · 59 hours before
- Destination
- RYV · Watertown, WI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- PWK · Palwaukee Municipal, runway 16, 5,137 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 34 total · 34 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PWK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N97650 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.