Cessna 172P accident near West Chicago, Illinois, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 2:09 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65729, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR VENTURI, THE OPERATOR'S DISREGARD OF THE PRECISION AIRMOTIVE SERVICE BULLETIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 2:09 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65729 · registry record · serial 17275839
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RENTED N65729 FROM AN FBO FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. WITNESSES STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 15, THEY SAW THE AIRPLANE TRAILING 'LIGHT GRAY SMOKE' AND HEARD THE ENGINE LOSE POWER. THE WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP LEFT BANK TURN AT AN ALTITUDE OF BETWEEN 300 AND 500 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED IN A NOSE LOW ALTITUDE INTO THE PARKING LOT OF AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE TWO PIECE CARBURETOR PRIMARY VENTURI HAD SEPARATED FROM ITS NORMAL MOUNTED POSITION AND WAS INGESTED INTO THE NO. 2 CYLINDER. SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAD BEEN ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER ADDRESSING THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW ONE PIECE VENTURI. PRECISION AIRMOTIVE ISSUED SERVICE BULLETIN MSA 2 ON OCT. 15 90. REVIEW OF THE ENGINE LOGBOOK FOR N65729 REVEALED SERVICE BULLETIN MSA 2 HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 139 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 37 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,686 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 25, 1991; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.