Luscombe 8 accident near Poplar Grove, Illinois, July 23, 2011
On July 23, 2011 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Luscombe 8, registered N2844K, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Poplar Grove, Illinois (Poplar Grove Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to not use all available runway length and his failure to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2011 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar Grove, Illinois · Poplar Grove Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Luscombe 8 A · all 8s on the register
- Registration
- N2844K · no longer on the register · serial 5571
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to perform a midfield takeoff with approximately 1,800 feet of runway remaining. During the departure, the airplane was unable to clear the trees at the departure end of the runway so the pilot executed a right turn to the north. As he made the turn, he realized that there were power lines so he performed an off-airport landing sustaining substantial damage to the left wing and the left side of the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and said the accident could have been prevented if he had used the entire runway.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during initial climb defining event
- Course deviation during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,239 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2010
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C77 Poplar Grove IL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: C77 Poplar Grove IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,773 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:00 pm from RFD, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.