Cessna 172P accident near Kankakee, Illinois, February 21, 2015
On February 21, 2015 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 172P, registered N54974, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Kankakee, Illinois (Greater Kankakee Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper flight control inputs resulting in the loss of control during the landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2015 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kankakee, Illinois · Greater Kankakee Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P, built 1981 · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54974 · no longer on the register · serial 17275096
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were practicing landings to a full stop. During the 6th landing, the student pilot over controlled the airplane during the landing flare. The flight instructor attempted to correct the flight control inputs; however, he was unable to overcome the strength of the student pilot on the flight controls. The airplane struck a bank of snow on the left side of the runway and nosed over. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 28, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Associated Air Activities INC
The flight
- Departed from: KIGQ Chicago IL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: KIKK Kankakee IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,981 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KIKK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on April 15, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.