Cessna 172 accident near Valparaiso, Indiana, March 5, 1996
On March 5, 1996 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N21662, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valparaiso, Indiana. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued flight into adverse weather. Factors were the low ceilings, icing conditions, airframe ice, and the muddy field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1996 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Valparaiso, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N21662 · registry record · serial 17263984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot received a preflight weather briefing that included marginal VFR conditions and reported icing in clouds near his route of flight. He experienced precipitation and airframe icing during cruise. He pulled the carburetor heat control to the on position, and descended to about 500 feet AGL to maintain visual contact with the ground. About 1/8 inch of ice had formed on the airplane, and he reversed course attempting to locate an airport. The flight controls felt 'sluggish.' He selected a field, configured the airplane, and made a precautionary landing. During the landing, the nose gear sank into the muddy field, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over.
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: 194 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 143 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1995; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CGX Chicago IL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: HAO Hamilton OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from GYY, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N21662 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI96LA103.