Cessna 172RG accident near Romeoville, Illinois, April 13, 1990
On April 13, 1990 at about 2:40 am local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9694B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Romeoville, Illinois (Lewis Univ. airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR TO CORRECT A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING A LANDING ROLL IN A TIMELY MANNER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1990 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Romeoville, Illinois · Lewis Univ. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9694B · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0973
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING A NIGHT LANDING. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, ALTHOUGH NEITHER OF THE TWO PERSONS ABOARD THE AIRPLANE WERE INJURED. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN COMMAND WAS GIVING AN AIRPLANE CHECKOUT TO A PRIVATE PILOT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD JUST TOUCHED DOWN AFTER DOING A NO LANDING LIGHT APPROACH. DURING THE ROLLOUT THE AIRPLANE STARTED VEERING TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO ASSIST THE PILOT IN MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. DURING THESE ATTEMPTS AT CONTROL THE AIRPLANE VEERED INTO THE SOFT GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,080 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,288 as pilot in command; 576 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Andrew & Mary Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 2:20 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 48 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.