Cessna 152 II accident near Wayne City, Illinois, March 1, 1985
On March 1, 1985 at about 3:15 am local time, a Cessna 152 II, registered N68183, was destroyed in an accident near Wayne City, Illinois. It was a personal 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
- March 1, 1985 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Wayne City, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 II · all 152 IIs on the register
- Registration
- N68183 · no longer on the register · serial 152-82169
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE ON A NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT THE ACFT EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION. AN EMERGENCY LNDG WAS ATTEMPTED TO A ROAD. THE ACFT STRUCK A POWER POLE THAT WAS NOT VISIBLE IN THE DARKNESS AND THEN HUNG UP IN THE WIRES. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS DISLODGED FROM THE WIRES AND IT FELL TO THE GROUND.
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: 301 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,206 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 19, 1984; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Kingsport TN at 10:30 pm
- Destination: MVN Mt. Vernon IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from BLV, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.