Cessna 152 accident near Rockford, Illinois, January 20, 1992
On January 20, 1992 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N152BA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockford, Illinois. 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'S DELAYED APPLICATION OF CARBURETOR HEAT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1992 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rockford, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N152BA · registry record · serial 15282722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS SECOND SOLO CROSS COUNTRY WHEN HE NOTICED A LOSS OF 200-300 ENGINE RPM WHILE CRUISING AT 3,000' MSL. HE SAID HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, AND THE ENGINE RAN ROUGHER. HE DECIDED TO LAND IN A FIELD WHILE HE STILL HAD SOME POWER AVAILABLE. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED TWO DITCHES DURING THE LANDING ROLL AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. A SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS DISCLOSED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. INTERVIEWS WITH THE PILOT REVEALED HE BELIEVES THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING, AND THAT THE SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE BEEN PRECLUDED IF HE HAD APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT EARLIER.
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: 43 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,825 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1991; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Glenview Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: NBU Glenview IL at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from RFD, 9 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.
Other NTSB records under N152BA 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.