Cessna 150M accident near Cahokia, Illinois, January 20, 1983
On January 20, 1983 at about 1:35 am local time, a Cessna 150M, registered N704LQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cahokia, Illinois (Bi-State Parks 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 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
- January 20, 1983 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Cahokia, Illinois · Bi-State Parks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · all 150Ms on the register
- Registration
- N704LQ · no longer on the register · serial 15078699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT DURING A TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CLIMBING OUT AFTER A TOUCH AND GO LANDING AND AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL THE ENGINE QUIT. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND CHECKED FOR AN ENGINE PROBLEM. AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THEY CLIMBED BACK TO 200 FT AGL WHEN THEENGINE QUIT AGAIN. THE CFI LINED UP FOR AN OFF ARPT LANDING DURING WHICH THEY HIT A DRAINAGE DITCH. A FUEL LINE FROM THESELECTOR VALVE TO THE ENGINE WAS INSPECTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND WATER CAME OUT OF THIS LINE AFTER IT WAS WARM. THE CFISAID THE DRAINS AND SUMP WERE CHECKED DURING PREFLT BUT THEY WERE INEFFECTIVE SINCE THEY WERE NOT AT THE LOWEST POINT INTHE 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 770 hours in all; 475 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 660 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,916 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 6, 1983; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from CPS
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.