Cessna 182S accident near Joliet, Illinois, September 21, 2003
On September 21, 2003 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna 182S, registered N775WB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Joliet, Illinois (Joliet Regional Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot not performing a go-around when the other airplane taxied onto the landing runway, which resulted in the pilot not attaining the proper touchdown point. Factors to the accident include the failure of the alternator, the complete loss of electrical power, the other airplane, and the ravine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2003 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Joliet, Illinois · Joliet Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182S · all 182Ss on the register
- Registration
- N775WB · registry record · serial 18280134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane overran the end of runway 12 and encountered a ravine. The pilot reported the airplane had lost all electrical power while in cruise flight. The pilot stated that an airplane taxied onto the runway as he was on final approach. He decided to land over the airplane, and touched down approximately 3/4 down the runway. The flaps were not available due to the electrical failure. The airplane subsequently overran the end of the runway. Subsequent to the accident, the Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) performed a normal start of the engine utilizing an auxiliary power unit. The engine started with no hesitation and ran at various power settings with no anomalies. Inspection of the electrical system revealed that the alternator had an open field, resulting in the complete discharge of the electrical system.
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
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 190.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 2002; 172.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,110 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IOW Iowa City IA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: JOT Joliet IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,937 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from JOT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.