Cessna 172L incident near Plainfield, Illinois, March 29, 1987
On March 29, 1987 at about 10:58 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N4211Q, was involved in an incident near Plainfield, Illinois (Clow Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1987 · about 10:58 pm local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Clow Int'L · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N4211Q · registry record · serial 17260111
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DECIDED THE WEATHER WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO FLY, BUT HE WOULD RUN THE ENGINE AND TURN THE TIRES. HE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE PLANE BY OTHER PILOTS AND LATER PRONOUNCED DEAD, FROM CARBON MONOXIDE ASPHYXIATION. THE MUFFLER HAD A 12 INCH CRACK WHICH A METALLURGIST STATED COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE 1.1 HOURS SINCE THE PLANE'S ANNUAL INSPECTION.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. 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 CHI87IA110.