NTSB CHI85FA054 — 1984-11-23 · WAUKEGAN, Illinois, United States

Current FAA registration · N53134

Make / Model: CESSNA 172P
Year of manufacture: 1981 · 3 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19980326
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A6B702

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N53134 Cessna 172P None

Factual narrative

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER DURING TAKEOFF. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT TWO DAYS PREVIOUSLY A LOSS OF POWER HAD OCCURED DURING A TEST FLT WHICH WAS VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE POWER LOSS EXPERIENCED DURING THIS ACCIDENT ONLY THE PLT HAD SUFFICIENT ALT TO EXECUTE A 180 DEG TURN AND LAND BACK ON THE RWY. AFTER THIS FLT HEET (DRY ICE) WAS ADDED TO EACH FUEL TANK. ANALYSIS OF THE LIQUID DRAINED FROM THE ACFT FOLLOWING THE ACC REVEALED A MIXTURE OF WATER AND METHANOL. METHANOL IS THE MAIN INGREDIENT OF HEET. THE ACFT ENG & CARB WERE TESTED & OPERATED NORMALLY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1984_CHI85FA054.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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