Cessna 172 accident near Carbondale, Illinois, May 18, 2016
On May 18, 2016 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 172, registered N4668G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Carbondale, Illinois (Southern Illinois 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 student pilot's inadequate flare which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, and a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2016 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carbondale, Illinois · Southern Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1979 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4668G · no longer on the register · serial 17273294
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that on his second supervised solo landing touchdown, the airplane landed flat and firm. He further reported that the airplane "roared" then veered off the runway to the left, and stopped abruptly after the nose wheel became stuck in mud. The student pilot further reported that he may have accidently advanced the throttle after he was pushed forward during the flat landing. According to the student pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the firewall.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,673.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 28, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,307 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 4,670 hours total
- Operator: Southern Illinois University
The flight
- Departed from: MDH Carbondale IL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: MDH Carbondale IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36R, 6,506 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft; a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KMDH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.