Cessna 172P accident near West Chicago, Illinois, May 1, 2007
On May 1, 2007 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N97224, 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 instructor's inadequate remedial action following the student pilot's loss of control during the crosswind landing and the instructor's failure to compensate for the wind conditions. Contributing factors were, the crosswind, the gusting wind conditions and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2007 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N97224 · no longer on the register · serial 17276165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a ditch following an uncontrolled exit from the runway surface (runway 33, 3,401 feet long, 100 foot wide, dry concrete). The instructor reported that after touchdown, the power was increased but the airplane yawed into the left crosswind. The airplane then exited the runway into the grass adjacent to the runway. The instructor stated that the main gear dragged in the grass and the nose gear dug into the ground. The airplane then pivoted to the right and the left wingtip impacted and dragged through the grass. The reported wind conditions about the time of the accident were from 280 magnetic degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 21 knots. Inspection of the airplane did not reveal any flight control or mechanical malfunction that would have prevented normal operation.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,078 hours in all; 760 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 984 as pilot in command; 724 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,717 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,407 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,401 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 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.