Cessna 152 accident near Christopher, Illinois, March 14, 2002
On March 14, 2002 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5111H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Christopher, Illinois. It was a personal 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 in-flight collision with a Canadian goose, which caused substantial damage to the airplane's right wing. A factor to the accident was the dark night light condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2002 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Christopher, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5111H · registry record · serial 15284062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight the airplane encountered a flock of Canada geese and impacted a goose with the right wing. The pilot reported that he immediately climbed to a higher altitude and landed without any difficulties. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 273 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,892.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 4, 2001; 9.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,620 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H96 Benton IL at 1:40 am
- Destination: MDH Carbondale IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from MDH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.