Cessna 172P accident near Joliet, Illinois, May 22, 1983
On May 22, 1983 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N53700, was substantially damaged in an accident near Joliet, Illinois (Wilhelmi airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1983 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Joliet, Illinois · Wilhelmi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N53700 · no longer on the register · serial 17274802
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A HARD LANDING AND NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER ENGINE FAILURE ON THE BASE LEG. THE FLT WAS ONTHE BASE LEG WITH POWER AT IDLE AND CARBURETOR HEAT ON WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS SO TROUBLED BY GUSTS ON THE FINAL APPROACH HE ABANDONED RESTART ATTEMPTS. ACCORDINGTO HIM A GUST THAT STOPPED LEFT HIM AT 10 FT AGL DURING FLARE. HE ALSO SAID THE MUDDY FIELD THAT WAS FRESHLY PLOWED CAUSED THE NOSE OVER. PICTURES, A WITNESS AND THE INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVE STATE THE FIELD WAS NOT MUDDY. GROUND VEHICLEDROVE TO THE SCENE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. GROUND SCARS IN THIS UNPLOWED FIELD SHOW EVIDENCE OF A NOSE WHEEL ONLY FIRST GROUND CONTACT. THE FLAPS WERE AT 10 DEGREES. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND OPERATED NORMALLY. THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 90 PERCENT WITH TEMPERATURE AT 61 DEGREES F AND DEW POINT AT 58 DEGREESF. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CURVES THIS IS IN THE SERIOUS ICING RANGE FOR GLIDE AND CRUISE POWER.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 13,050 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 11,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 951 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C2 New Lenox IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,546 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MDW, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N53700 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.