Cessna 172RG accident near Dekalb, Illinois, May 21, 1992
On May 21, 1992 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6510V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dekalb, Illinois (Dekalb-Taylor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT NOT MAINTAINING A PROPER GLIDEPATH TO THE LANDING RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1992 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dekalb, Illinois · Dekalb-Taylor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6510V · registry record · serial 172RG0740
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD MADE THREE PREVIOUS APPROACHES AND LANDINGS ON THE SAME RUNWAY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT DURING THE MORNING. SHORTLY AFTER THE FOURTH APPROACH WAS EXECUTED THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWN DRAFT. WHILE IN THE DOWN DRAFT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK 60 FOOT HIGH POWERLINES WHICH WERE APPROXIMATELY 1,200 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD OF THE LANDING RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE AIRPORT PARKING RAMP AND SLID ONTO THE GRASSY CLEARWAY ADJACENT TO THE RAMP.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,254 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 997 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,086 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Planemaster Services, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from DPA, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.