Cessna 172P accident near Fieldon, Illinois, September 16, 1993
On September 16, 1993 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52502, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fieldon, 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
PARTIAL FAILURE (DETERIORATION) OF THE #1 PISTON PIN PLUG, WHICH RESULTED IN CONTAMINATION OF THE LUBRICATING SYSTEM AND FAILURE OF THE #3 CONNECTING ROD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1993 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fieldon, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52502 · no longer on the register · serial 172-74542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ONTO AN OPEN FIELD, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE #1 PISTON PIN PLUG HAD DETERIORATED TO A FRACTION OF ITS ORIGINAL SIZE. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE METAL PARTICULATE MATTER IN THE OIL FILTER AND THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE. THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS WERE DISTORTED AND DISCOLORED, AND THE #3 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,375 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,375 as pilot in command; 204 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,438 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 1993; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Premier Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: IS84 Bethalto IL at 5:35 pm
- Destination: IS84
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
Other NTSB records under N52502 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.