Cessna 182A accident near West Chicago, Illinois, December 30, 2003
On December 30, 2003 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N5894B, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage 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 inadequate starting and flooded engine procedure used by certified flight instructor while providing instruction to the dual student.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2003 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N5894B · registry record · serial 33894
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flying club airplane received substantial damage during an instructional flight when upon engine start, a fire ensued from the engine compartment. The commercial pilot reported no previous flight time in the accident airplane. The instructor reported that the engine was over primed during the first engine start attempt. A flooded start procedure was then used during a second engine start attempt, but the engine did not start. Smoke was then seen emanating from the engine cowling. The commercial pilot reported that after the first start attempt, the engine was primed again but still did not start. Smoke was then observed, and the commercial pilot reported that he was instructed to continue cranking. A fire then ensued. The commercial pilot stated that after the fire erupted, he searched for a fire extinguisher but none was found. The commercial pilot stated that the mixture control was retarded to the idle cutoff position while he continued cranking the engine following the second engine start attempt. Post accident inspection of the cockpit revealed that the mixture control was in the full rich position, and the fuel selector was not in the off position.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 343 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 268 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 27, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,300 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,874.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 2003; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Travel Express Aviation, L.L.C.
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 7:45 pm
- Destination: CMI Champaign IL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DPA
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.