Cessna 172M accident near West Chicago, Illinois, May 2, 2024
On May 2, 2024 at about 9:43 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 172M, registered N20095, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during an encounter with wind while holding short of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2024 · about 9:43 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1972 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20095 · registry record · serial 17261005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he was holding short of the runway waiting for a storm with heavy precipitation to pass when a gust of wind lifted the right wing and pushed the airplane to the right side of the runway. The airplane came to rest upside down which resulted in substantial damage to the wing, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The flight instructor reported he was holding appropriate flight control inputs for the wind at the time the accident occurred. He reported further that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
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
- Other weather encounter during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 995 hours in all; 876 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 48.3 in the last 30 days; 836.6 as pilot in command; 548.7 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 96.4 hours in all; 66.3 in this make and model; 31.8 in the last 90 days; 14.4 in the last 30 days; 4.5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,374.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 5, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 7,302 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02L/, 7,571 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 am from KDPA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDPA 022152Z 15011G20KT 100V190 3/4SM -RA SCT015 SCT028 BKN055 19/16 A2984 RMK AO2 PK WND 16048/2140 RAB40 SLP103 P0032 T01890156 RVRNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
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 July 18, 2024. 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 |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 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.
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.