Cessna 172N accident near Paris, Illinois, September 13, 1990
On September 13, 1990 at about 5:45 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75785, was destroyed in an accident near Paris, Illinois (Edgar County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE FOG AND THE DARK NIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1990 · about 5:45 am local time
- Place
- Paris, Illinois · Edgar County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N75785 · no longer on the register · serial 17267947
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM AUSTIN, MN AT 2010. DURING THE WEATHER BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF RESTRICTED VISIBILITIES REPORTED BY THREE REPORTING STATIONS IN THE AREA OF THE DESTINATION, AND A 3 DEG TEMP/DEW POINT SPREAD AT TERRA HAUTE, IN (23 MI NE OF PARIS, IL). THE PILOT DECLINED RECEIVING FORECASTS. DURING THE INTERMEDIATE STOP AT DANVILLE, THE DEPLANED PASSENGER STATED THAT THE LANDING LIGHTS WERE PENETRATING 'THE FOG WE WERE IN', AND THAT THE LIGHT MADE A 'SHAFT' IN THE FOG AREA. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRPLANE CRASHED 1 MI SE OF THE APPROACH END OF RWY 27 AT THE PARIS, IL AIRPORT. THE ACCIDENT LOCATION WAS CONSISTENT FOR A BASE LEG TO THE RWY. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT MANAGER THE AIRPORT BEACON COULD NOT BE SEEN BEYOND 600-700 FT HORIZONTALLY.
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: 642 hours in all; 531 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DNV Danville IL at 5:20 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:45 am from HUF, 22 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.