Cessna 172P accident near Savanna, Illinois, April 8, 1990
On April 8, 1990 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N89594, was substantially damaged in an accident near Savanna, Illinois (Stransky Mem 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE STRONG/GUSTY CROSSWIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1990 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Savanna, Illinois · Stransky Mem · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N89594 · registry record · serial 17276009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A LANDING ON RUNWAY 13 WITH A NEARBY STATION REPORTING WINDS FROM 230 DEG AT 17 GUSTING 25 KTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT & WENT OFF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF, BUT TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN IN A 'SOFT GRASS' AREA, WHICH CAUSED A SPEED LOSS. HE THEN ABORTED THE GO-AROUND, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT WENT THRU A DITCH & WAS DAMAGED.
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; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,058 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,040 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,642 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C5 Plainfield IL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: SFY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,950 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from MLI, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.