Cessna 172N accident near Chicago, Illinois, May 27, 1991
On May 27, 1991 at about 5:26 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5710E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Midway 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
THE PILOT IN COMMAND (STUDENT)'S IMPROPER JUDGEMENT OF THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S DELAYING AN ABORTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1991 · about 5:26 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Midway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5710E · no longer on the register · serial 17271924
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT LANDED LONG, AND BOUNCED TWICE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND EXITED THE RUNWAY INTO A FENCE.
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: 36 hours in all; 36 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chicago Skyline, LTD.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 6,519 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:30 pm from MDW, 1 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.