Cessna 172P accident near Zion, Illinois, October 31, 1991
On October 31, 1991 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N5411K, was destroyed in an accident near Zion, Illinois (Waukegan Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES & TRANSMISSION LINES) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1991 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Zion, Illinois · Waukegan Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5411K · no longer on the register · serial 17274100
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SINGLE ENGINED AIRPLANE WAS OPERATING ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND CLIMBING THROUGH CLOUDS SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A WITNESS HEARD AN AIRPLANE'S ENGINE POWER SURGING AND OBSERVED A BRIGHT FLASH AT GROUND LEVEL SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. ANOTHER WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING AND FLY PAST HIM JUST BEFORE SEEING A BRIGHT FLASH AND HEARING THE CRASH. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK AN ELECTRICAL POWERLINE AND TREE BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND AND SLIDING TO A STOP. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED WATER IN THE CARBURETOR FLOAT AND ACCELERATOR PUMP CHAMBERS. THE COMMUTATOR OF THE TURN AND SLIP INDICATOR'S ELECTRIC MOTOR WAS FOUND WITH A GROOVE WORN AROUND IT AND A BLACK POWDERY SUBSTANCE PERMEATING THE INTERNAL MECHANISM OF THE INSTRUMENT. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED THAT HE HAD TAKEN A FUEL SAMPLE FROM EACH FUEL SUMP ON THE AIRPLANE DURING HIS PRE-FLIGHT WALK AROUND INSPECTION. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECALL THE EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE AFTER ENTERING THE CLOUDS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 380 hours in all; 263 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: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 11:53 pm
- Destination: RFD Rockford IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded at 500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:45 pm from UGN, 2 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.