Cessna 172M and Cessna 206 mid-air collision near Lafox, Illinois, March 8, 1986
On March 8, 1986 at about 9:56 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172M (N72MA) and Cessna 206 (N2544X), were involved in a mid-air collision near Lafox, Illinois (Du Page airport). 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1986 · about 9:56 pm local time
- Place
- Lafox, Illinois · Du Page
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N72MA · no longer on the register · serial 17264918
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N2544X · registry record · serial P206-0044
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI/CFII) & HIS STUDENT (PVT SINGLE ENG RATED PLT) WERE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT IN A CESSNA 172, N72MA. THE STUDENT HAD RECENTLY BEEN TAKING INSTRUMENT FLT TRAINING & HAD A HOOD FOR USE ON THIS FLT. PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, THE CESSNA 172 WAS PROCEEDING GENERALLY ON A SE HDG AS IF TO INTERCEPT THE ILS RWY 10 LOCALIZER FOR THE DU PAGE ARPT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A CESSNA 206, N2544X, WAS PROCEEDING INBOUND TWD THE DU PAGE ARPT FROM THE WEST AT AN ALT OF 2500 FT MSL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED ABOUT 2 MI WEST OF THE OUTER MARKER/FINAL APCH FIX & APRX 1/4 MI SOUTH OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE LINE. THE MIN ALT FOR THE ILS APCH IN THAT AREA WAS 2600 FT MSL UNTIL INTER- CEPTING THE GLIDE SLOPE. DURING THE ACDNT, THE NOSE GEAR OF THE CESSNA 206 & THE EMPENNAGE OF THE CESSNA 172 COLLIDED. THE CESSNA 172 WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT. THE CESSNA 206 CONTINUED FLYING & WAS LANDED WITHOUT A NOSE GEAR. NEITHER FLT HAD REQUESTED NOR WERE PROVIDED RADAR SEPN.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 206 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI/CFII) & HIS STUDENT (PVT SINGLE ENG RATED PLT) WERE ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT IN A CESSNA 172, N72MA. THE STUDENT HAD RRECENTLY BEEN TAKING INSTRUMENT FLT TRAINING & HAD A HOOD FOR USE ON THIS FLT. PRIOR TO THE ACDNT. THE CESSNA 172 WAS PROCEEDING GENERALLY ON A SE HDG AS IF TO INTERCEPT THE ILS RWY 10 LOCALIZER FOR THE DU PAGE ARPT. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, A CESSNA 206, N2544X, WAS PROCEEDING INBOUND TWD THE DU PAGE ARPT FROM THE WEST AT AN ALT OF 2500 FT MSL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO ACFT CONVERGED & COLLIDED ABOUT 2 MI WEST OF THE OUTER MARKER/FINAL APCH FIX & APRX 1/4 MI SOUTH OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE LINE. THE MIN ALT FOR THE ILS APCH IN THAT AREA WAS 2600 FT MSL UNTIL INTER- CEPTING THE GLIDE SLOPE. DURING THE ACDNT, THE NOSE GEAR OF THE CESSNA 206 & THE EMPENNAGE OF THE CESSNA 172 COLLIDED. THE CESSNA 172 WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT. THE CESSNA 206 CONTINUED FLYING & WAS LANDED WITHOUT A NOSE GEAR. NEITHER FLT HAD REQUESTED NOR WERE PROVIDED RADAR SEPN.
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 for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,050 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,830 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 13, 1985; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 18 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Cessna 206 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 371 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 269 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 17, 1985; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DKB Dekalb IL at 9:35 pm
- Destination: DPA West Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI86FA100.