Cessna C172N accident near Rock Falls, Illinois, March 16, 1990
On March 16, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna C172N, registered N737GN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rock Falls, Illinois (Whiteside City airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENCOUNTER WITH WIND CONDITIONS WHICH EXCEEDED THE CAPABILITY OF THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Falls, Illinois · Whiteside City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C172N
- Registration
- N737GN · no longer on the register · serial 17269408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STUDENT PILOT ON SECOND SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 25 AT INTENDED DESTINATION. WINDS WERE 240 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. WHEN THE STUDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET ABOVE RUNWAY, STRONG GUST CAUGHT AIRCRAFT AND FLIPPED IT ON ITS BACK IN THE INFIELD. AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, STUDENT UNINJURED.
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: student
- Flight time: 52 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,823 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 9, 1990; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOT Romeoville IL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: SQI Rock Falls IL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 24 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from RFD, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.