Cessna 177 accident near Schaumburg, Illinois, August 25, 1990
On August 25, 1990 at about 2:45 am local time, a Cessna 177, registered N29463, was destroyed in an accident near Schaumburg, Illinois (Schaumburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE MISJUDGEMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT TAKEOFF WEIGHT, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE ABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1990 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Schaumburg, Illinois · Schaumburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N29463 · no longer on the register · serial 17700905
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A 60 FOOT TREE ONE-HALF MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CRASHED INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE OWNER/SECOND PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT REQUIRED THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE 3,000 FOOT RUNWAY TO GET AIRBORNE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TAKEOFF WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2400 POUNDS. MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT IS 2350 POUNDS.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from ORD, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
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.