Cessna 170 accident near St. Anne, Illinois, September 18, 1994
On September 18, 1994 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N4216V, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Anne, Illinois. 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
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO AN INADEQUATELY RECONDITIONED CYLINDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1994 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- St. Anne, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4216V · no longer on the register · serial 18572
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PILOT HEARD A REPETITIVE LOUD KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. THE EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE GAGE SHOWED A RAPID DROP, AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AN EXTREMELY LOUD BANG WAS THEN HEARD, AND THE UPPER PART OF THE COWLING BLEW OPEN AND BACK TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE OFF POSITION, CLOSED THE THROTTLE, PULLED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO IDLE CUT-OFF, AND MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A POLE WHICH WAS LOCATED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE #2 CYLINDER HAD FRACTURED. CORROSION WAS VISIBLE ON THE FRACTURE SURFACES. MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED THAT THE CYLINDER WAS REPLACED WITH A RECONDITIONED CYLINDER AT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION ON 5/1/94. THE AIRPLANE HAD LOGGED 65 HRS SINCE THE INSPECTION.
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: 252 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 159 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,032 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1994; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I19 Green County OH at 6:24 pm
- Destination: IKK Kankakee IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N4216V 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.