Cessna 177B accident near Wheeling, Illinois, August 7, 1983
On August 7, 1983 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177B, registered N35083, was involved in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Pal-Waukee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 7, 1983 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Pal-Waukee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177B · all 177Bs on the register
- Registration
- N35083 · registry record · serial 17702196
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENG USING NORMAL PROCEDURES. HE OBTAINED THE USE OF AN APU & STILL COULD NOT MAKE AN ELECTRICAL START. HE STATED THAT HE TURNED THE MAGNETO & MASTER SWITCHES OFF & ROTATED THE PROPELLER (PROP) BACKWARDS 1/2 TURN (TO CHECK FOR BINDING) BUT NO BINDING WAS NOTED. ANOTHER APU START WAS ATTEMPTED, BUT TO NO AVAIL. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE TURNED THE MAGNETO & MASTER SWITCHES OFF AGAIN & INTENDED TO TURN THE PROP FORWARD ABOUT 5 DEG. HE STATED THAT 'UPON TOUCHING THE PROP, ENG FIRED & PROP HIT RIGHT ARM CAUSING COMPOUND, MULTIPLE FRACTURE.' THE LINE CHIEF STATED THAT HE & THE PLT VERIFIED THAT THE SWITCHES WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. HOWEVER, LATER, WHEN THE IGNITION SYS WAS CHECKED, NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. ALSO, AN AD HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH TO PREVENT IGNITION WHEN THE SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, THE STARTER WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED (BURNED OUT).
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: 656 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 465 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.