Cessna 150 accident near Winnetka, Illinois, September 17, 1994
On September 17, 1994 at about 2:10 am local time, a Cessna 150, registered N9456U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winnetka, 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED REASON. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1994 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Winnetka, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N9456U · no longer on the register · serial 15078404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY 35 MILUTES AFTER DEPARTING ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AFTER THE PILOT MADE A SLIGHT POWER CHANGE. ALL EFFORTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. BELIEVING HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE SHORELINE OF LAKE MICHIGAN. THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN SHALLOW WATER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION CONSISTED OF AN ENGINE TEARDOWN AND FUEL SYSTEM EXAMINATION. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL OR OTHER ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,496 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,794 as pilot in command; 986 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,823 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1994; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Palwaukee Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PWK Palwaukee IL at 1:30 am
- Destination: PWK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from NBU, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N9456U 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.