Cessna 172 accident near Wheeling, Illinois, June 14, 1992
On June 14, 1992 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N62538, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwaukee 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'S IMPROPER APPROACH TO LANDING. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE THUNDERSTORM AND THE EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1992 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwaukee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N62538 · no longer on the register · serial 17275298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THERE WAS A LEVEL THREE THUNDERSTORM JUST WEST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THEY ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE WHILE TRACKING THE LOCALIZER COURSE FOR THE RUNWAY. HE REPORTED HE INCREASED HIS APPROACH SPEED BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. HE STATED 'AS I REACHED THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 16, I REDUCED POWER TO IDLE AND ADDED FULL FLAPS. JUST BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN I REALIZED...THERE MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH RUNWAY FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO COME TO A FULL STOP... .' THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND SWERVED LEFT BEFORE COMING TO A STOP.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 576 hours in all; 274 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 437 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,382 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 31, 1992; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EGV Eagle River WI at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 5,137 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:44 pm from PWK, 1 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.