Cessna 172P accident near Plainfield, Illinois, March 7, 1999
On March 7, 1999 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65192, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois (Clow International airport). It was an instructional 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
the pilot's inadequate directional control during landing roll. A factor was the snow bank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1999 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Clow International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65192 · registry record · serial 17275706
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the accident airplane said that he maintained 65 knots and was lined up with the Runway 36 while on final approach. Just above the runway he stated he pulled back on the yoke to reduce airspeed. The stall horn sounded before touchdown. The airplane touched down a third of the way down the runway and between the centerline and the left edge of the runway. The pilot stated he felt the airplane being pushed left and the left main wheel exiting the runway. The airplane exited the left edge of the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane impacted a snow bank, tipped on its nose, and came to rest facing eastward. The student's instructor stated that winds were from 070 degrees at 5 knots. The student's logbook showed 4.8 hours total time in C-172's. The student was endorsed to solo a C-172 after 2.7 hours of flight instruction and 6 landings in a C-172. The student had accumulated 4 solo landings and 1.6 solo hours of flight in C-172's including the accident flight.
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: student
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1998; 164 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C5 at 7:15 pm
- Destination: 1C5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,362 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from ARR, 12 miles away
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.
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.