Cessna 152 accident near Ottawa, Illinois, September 20, 1992
On September 20, 1992 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4591P, was destroyed in an accident near Ottawa, Illinois (Ottawa airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN A PROPER AIRSPEED WHICH LED TO AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHERE THE PILOT COULD NOT PERFORM A RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1992 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ottawa, Illinois · Ottawa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4591P · no longer on the register · serial 15284775
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TURNING AS IF TO RETURN FOR LANDING. A WITNESS REPORTED OBSERVING IT MANEUVERING TO LINE UP FOR A LANDING ON THE RUNWAY OPPOSITE ITS TAKEOFF RUNWAY. THE WITNESS STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE WINGS LEVEL AND MOVING SIDEWAYS. THE AIRPLANE THEN STALLED AND SPUN TO THE GROUND. ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LANDING FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN FAA-APPROVED SHORT TAKEOFF OR LANDING (STOL) WING MODIFICATION. THE HEIGHT OF THE WING FLOW FENCES WERE FOUND TO BE INCORRECT ACCORDING TO THE STC DRAWINGS. AN FAA TEST PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD REQUIRED THAT THE FLOW FENCES BE LOWERED DUE TO AERODYNAMIC INSTABILITIES WITH FENCES TOO HIGH. OTHER SIMILAR AIRPLANES WERE FOUND WITH THE WING FLOW FENCES TOO HIGH. INVESTIGATION INTO THE PILOT'S FLYING HABITS REVEALED THAT HE OFTEN PERFORMED WING'S LEVEL RUDDER TURNS. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED A PARTIAL MAGNETO FAILURE WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,876 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,751 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,207 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1992; 18 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: C13 at 11:13 pm
- Destination: STL St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 5, 3,125 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.