Cessna 172R accident near Romeoville, Illinois, May 23, 2023
On May 23, 2023 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1999 Cessna 172R, registered N674MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Romeoville, Illinois (Lewis University Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to attain/maintain a proper landing flare and failure to perform a go-around that resulted in an impact with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2023 · about 2:00 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Romeoville, Illinois · Lewis University Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R, built 1999 · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N674MA · registry record · serial 17280742
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that during her initial solo flight, she attempted three landings. The first and second landing attempts resulted in go-arounds. During the third landing attempt, there was a “severe porpoise,” and she felt the airplane “rushing down the runway uncontrollably.” She “pushed down” to stop the porpoise because she felt that she was never going to be able to land. The airplane then impacted the runway surface and sustained substantial damage, which included damage to the fuselage. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by performing a go-around instead of forcing the airplane onto the runway. There was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane reported 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 52.6 hours in all; 52.6 in this make and model; 31.3 in the last 90 days; 16.7 in the last 30 days; 0.3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,621.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 28, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 4,668 hours total
- Operator: Lewis University
The flight
- Departed from: LOT Romeoville IL at 1:53 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 am from LOT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1: Fuselage Damage (Source – Federal AviaƟon AdministraƟon)
Photo 2: Cockpit Floor (Source - Federal AviaƟon AdministraƟon)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 28, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N674MA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N674MA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 2,650 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Lewis University Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Illinois 2,118 since 1982 · 251 in the last ten years
- Illinois 8,067 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N674MA 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN23LA256.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.