Cessna 152 accident near Montgomery, Illinois, August 10, 1993
On August 10, 1993 at about 5:30 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N102CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montgomery, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED RESULTING IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1993 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Montgomery, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N102CF · no longer on the register · serial 15281991
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE AIRPORT AT HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. HE CONTIUED TO SEARCH FOR THE AIRPORT AND EXHAUSTED THE FUEL SUPPLY ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. A FORCED LANDING WAS CONDUCTED TO UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE DARK NIGHT.
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
- Flight time: 118 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 5, 1993; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cushing Field, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: GRB Green Bay WI at 1:40 am
- Destination: 0C8 Newark IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from DPA, 10 miles away
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.