Cessna 152 accident near Greenville, Illinois, May 22, 1991
On May 22, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24394, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Illinois. 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 PILOT IN COMMAND'S MISJUDGMENT OF THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. AN ASSOCIATED FACTOR IS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND NOT PERFORMING REMEDIAL ACTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N24394 · no longer on the register · serial 1528-25-
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS CONDUCTING A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW OF A COMMERCIAL PILOT. HE ELECTED TO HAVE THE COMMERCIAL PILOT PERFORM A SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING TO A NEARBY PRIVATE TURF AIRSTRIP. DURING THE APPROACH, THE CFI DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO HIGH FOR THE FIELD. HE TOOK THE CONTROLS ON FINAL APPROACH TO COMPLETE THE LANDING. HE MISJUDGED THE TOUCHDOWN POINT AND LANDED IN A WHEAT FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE CFI REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE LANDING. POST CRASH INSPECTION AND AN ENGINE TEST RUN REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 6,780 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRE Greenville IL at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°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.