Cessna 172N accident near Crystal Lake, Illinois, May 13, 1996
On May 13, 1996 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738CS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal Lake, Illinois (Lake In The Hills airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not flying a proper glidepath for the displaced runway threshold.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 1996 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal Lake, Illinois · Lake In The Hills · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738CS · no longer on the register · serial 17269877
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he 'intended to bleed off speed and touchdown on the numbers,' of the runway. The passenger on board noticed the large semi-truck and notified the pilot. The pilot said that he had no time to react. He only had enough time to identify what he had struck. A witness at the hold line for the active runway observed the airplane as it approached from the east. 'I noted that he was low on his approach and assumed that he would take corrective action. As he approached the road, a semi crossed in front of the airplane. The airplane appeared to impact the side of the truck with its landing gear. The airplane flipped over the truck and impacted the ground upside-down.'
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: 190 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 65 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,726 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 16, 1996; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C59 Lake Lawn WI at 3:20 pm
- Destination: 3CK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from DPA, 20 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.
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.