Cessna 172 accident near Lansing, Illinois, April 6, 1987
On April 6, 1987 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N80379, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Illinois (Lansing airport). 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
- April 6, 1987 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois · Lansing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N80379 · registry record · serial 17266560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DUE TO AN RPM FLUCTUATION HE HAD DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RWY 27 WHEN THE WIND WAS FROM 020 DEGREES 14 KTS GUSTING 30 KNOTS. THE FLAP OPERATION WAS ALSO ERRATIC ACCORDING TO THE PLT. THE ACFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY AND STRUCK A DITCH. POST ACC INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO REASON FOR THE ENG MALFUNCTION BUT THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 225 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 195 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,950 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 18, 1986; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: T & G Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MDW Chicago IL at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 14 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from MDW, 18 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.