Cessna 172 accident near Lansing, Illinois, October 25, 1982
On October 25, 1982 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N23388, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Illinois (Lansing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- October 25, 1982 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois · Lansing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N23388 · no longer on the register · serial 17264086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE & THE PLT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT LANSING. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE FLAP, & AFTER ENCOUNTERING GROUND FOG LANDED LONG, BOUNCED, & GROUND LOOPED TO AVOID RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RWY.INVEST OF THE ELECT SYSTEM REVEALED THAT AN UNIDENTIFIABLE NOISE FILTER HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE LINE OF THE OUTPUT SIDE OF THE ALTERNATOR. TESTING REVEALED THAT THE NOISE FILTER DEVELOPED VOLTAGE SPIKES THAT COULD INCREASE LINE VOLTAGEMOMENTARILY TO 16 VOLTS. THE OVERVOLTAGE SENSOR WAS INOPERATIVE. THE SENSOR WAS PROBABLY TRIPPED BY EXCESSIVE SPIKING ON THE LINE VOLTAGE WHICH WOULD TURN OFF THE ALTERNATOR SYSTEM ILLUMINATING THE OVERVOLTAGE WARNING LIGHT. HOWEVER, THE BULB WAS FOUND BURNED OUT. THIS CONDITION CAN USUALLY BE CORRECTED BY RECYCLING THE MASTER SWITCH TO RESUME NORMAL ALTERNATING CHARGING.
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: 73 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,770 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southlake Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: RFD Rockford IL at 9:15 pm
- Destination: 05C Griffith IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,470 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 147°F (64°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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 N23388 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.