Cessna 172S accident near Grayslake, Illinois, April 11, 2003
On April 11, 2003 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N389SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grayslake, Illinois (Campbell 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 flight instuctor's improper in-flight decision to land with a tailwind and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the tailwind, the student pilot's inadequate flare, and the muddy terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2003 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grayslake, Illinois · Campbell Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N389SP · no longer on the register · serial 172S8775
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over after veering off the runway during landing. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported the student pilot was circling to land for runway 9, but was told by a person on the ground that the winds were from the northwest. The student pilot then began to circle for runway 27. The CFI reported that the approach was normal and the student landed on the runway centerline. The student landed flat and the airplane bounced. The CFI pulled back on the yoke and the airplane drifted to the left. The airplane touched down on the left side of the runway and veered further to the left. The CFI reported she stated to the student, "I have the controls." The student pilot reported she was not sure who was on the controls. The airplane went into the mud to the left of the runway and nosed over. A weather reporting station 11 miles to the east-northeast of the accident site reported the winds from 050 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 18 knots.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,444 hours in all; 2,367 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 6,123 as pilot in command; 4,646 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 7, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 210 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 792.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2003; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Waukegan Wings, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: C81 Grays Lake IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,270 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from UGN, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.