Cessna 172 accident near New Lenox, Illinois, October 16, 1989
On October 16, 1989 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4269F, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Lenox, Illinois (New Lenox-Howell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN WIND INFORMATION, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS SELECTION OF AN UNFAVORABLE (WRONG) RUNWAY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1989 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Lenox, Illinois · New Lenox-Howell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4269F · registry record · serial 46169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A LOCAL FLIGHT (ABOUT 15 MIN), THE PLT & PASSENGERS RETURNED TO THE ARPT & LANDED WITH A X-WIND ON THE SAME RWY. DURING THE LANDING, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE GROUND & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHEN HE DEPARTED, THE WIND WAS 'RIGHT DOWN THE RUNWAY.' HE DID NOT CONSIDER THAT THE WIND WOULD HAVE SHIFTED TO A X-WIND BY THE TIME THEY HAD RETURNED. ANOTHER RWY (5/23) WAS AVAILABLE AT THE ARPT.
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: 420 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,816 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C2 New Lenox IL at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from MDW, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.