Cessna 172 accident near Chicago, Illinois, September 2, 1996
On September 2, 1996 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N65785, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Merrill C Miegs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's lack of experience (or lack of training) in recovery from bounced landings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1996 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Merrill C Miegs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N65785 · no longer on the register · serial 172
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane approached the runway with full flaps and the engine at idle power. During touchdown, the airplane bounced into the air. The pilot said she was surprised when the airplane bounced after it touched down. The airplane touched down on the runway two more times before coming to a stop with the nosewheel detached from the nose gear fork. During a pilot interview and a review of her pilot logbook, the investigation revealed that she had not received instruction in how to recover from a 'bounced' landing. The pilot said she had never heard of a runway touchdown point or aiming point. Also, she said she didn't know if there was anything '...you can use to judge the final approach or the roundout aspect.'
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: 231 hours in all; 14 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,242 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 1996; 142 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: CGX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,904 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.