Cessna 172 accident near Newark, Illinois, January 6, 1990
On January 6, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N98923, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newark, Illinois (Cushing Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE WET CONDITION OF THE GRASS RUNWAY WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, Illinois · Cushing Field · 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
- N98923 · registry record · serial 17276381
- 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 HIS APPROACH TO LANDING AND TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL. HE REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT SLOW PROPERLY AND STARTED TO SLIDE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. ALSO, HE STATED THAT THE TURF RUNWAY WAS 'FROZEN AND HARD, BUT THE GRASS WAS WET DUE TO THE WARM WEATHER.' HE ESTIMATED THE TEMPERATURE WAS 40 DEGREES WITH WINDS OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AT ZERO TO FIVE KNOTS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH.
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: 75 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 34 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,776 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 1989; 188 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ottawa Airmens Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C09 Morris IL at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,831 ft by 180 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from ARR, 17 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.
Other NTSB records under N98923 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI90LA063.