Cessna 172N accident near Lansing, Illinois, January 22, 1991
On January 22, 1991 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5345D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Illinois (Lansing Muni airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT IS THE SNOW COVERED RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1991 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois · Lansing Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5345D · no longer on the register · serial 17272467
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF ON A RUNWAY COVERED WITH COMPACTED SNOW AND WITH A CROSSWIND 80 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY HEADING AT 17 KNOTS GUSTING TO 28 KNOTS. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT AND HIT A SNOWBANK ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 80 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 35 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airborne Avaition, INC.
The flight
- Destination: 1GO Bowling Green OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,655 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 17 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N5345D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.