Cessna 175 accident near Plainfield, Illinois, May 14, 1994
On May 14, 1994 at about 11:15 am local time, a Cessna 175, registered N7678M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois (Clow International airport). It was a personal 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
fuel contamination (water), and inadequate aircraft preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1994 · about 11:15 am local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Clow International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N7678M · no longer on the register · serial 55978
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DOING LOCAL PATTERN WORK PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. THE ENGINE QUIT DURING CLIMBOUT AFTER SEVERAL LANDINGS. THE PILOT MADE AN OFF-AIRPORT FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE NOSED-OVER DURING LANDING. THE CARBURETOR BOWL WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN A MIXTURE OF FUEL AND WATER. WATER WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.
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: 171 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 91 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,721 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1993; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 55,978 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from DPA, 17 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.
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.