Cessna 150L accident near Plainfield, Illinois, July 5, 1985
On July 5, 1985 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N5356Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois (Plainfield-Clow). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- July 5, 1985 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Plainfield-Clow · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N5356Q · no longer on the register · serial 15073256
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT DEPARTED CHICAGO MIDWAY & FLEW TO THE CLOW ARPT TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS. ON DOWNWIND AT CLOW, THE WIND BLEW THE ACFT TOWARD THE ARPT, CAUSING IT TO BE TOO CLOSE IN TO THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE STUDENT OVERSHOT THE TURN TO FINAL APCH & CONTD THE APCH BY ANGLING BACK TOWARD THE RWY. WHEN THE ACFT LANDED, IT WAS STILL ANGLED TO THE LEFT & WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE STUDENT STEERED IT BACK ON THE RWY & INITIATED A GO-AROUND. AT ABOUT 75 FT AGL, THE ACFT BEGAN TURNING LEFT, THEN STALLED, ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED. THE STUDENT THOUGHT SHE HAD RETRACTED THE FLAPS, BUT THE FLAPS & FLAP SELECTOR WERE FOUND IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AS VARIABLE FROM 290 TO 310 DEG AT 13 TO 21 KTS.
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: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,965 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 1984; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: T & G Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MDW Chicago IL at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 1C5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,370 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from ARR, 16 miles away
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.