Cessna R172K accident near Aurora, Illinois, May 29, 1988
On May 29, 1988 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N736AF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Illinois (Aurora Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- May 29, 1988 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Illinois · Aurora Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N736AF · registry record · serial R1722367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT ON FINAL APCH, 'A RAPID DESCENT TOOK PLACE.' THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RWY AND BOUNCED. THE PILOT SAID HE ADDED PWR AND LOWERED THE NOSE, BUT THE NOSE GEAR AND PROPELLER HIT THE RWY. THE ACFT BOUNCED AGAIN AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: 115 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 70 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 1988; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rmh Leasing
The flight
- Departed from: MWC Milwaukee WI at 2:30 pm
- Destination: ARR Aurora IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,099 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:10 pm from ARR, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 CHI88LA121.