Cessna 172N accident near Poplar Grove, Illinois, February 12, 2011
On February 12, 2011 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733TM, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Poplar Grove, Illinois (Poplar Grove 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2011 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar Grove, Illinois · Poplar Grove Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733TM · no longer on the register · serial 17268536
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported he was performing a takeoff when he lost directional control due to over correction and misuse of the brake/rudder. The airplane exited the runway, impacted deep snow, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial wing and rudder damage. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,444.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 11, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Poplar Grove Airmotive INC
The flight
- Departed from: C77 Poplar Grove IL at 6:06 pm
- Destination: C77 Poplar Grove IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,773 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from RFD, 14 miles away
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.