Cessna 172N accident near Bedford Park, Illinois, June 18, 2011
On June 18, 2011 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N172NT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Bedford Park, Illinois (Midway International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to a fractured push rod precipitated by a stuck exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2011 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Bedford Park, Illinois · Midway International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N172NT · no longer on the register · serial 17271113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that about 5 miles from the destination the engine started to run rough, and about 20 seconds later the engine lost power. His attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll the airplane nosed over on the soft field. A postaccident examination revealed that the No.3 cylinder exhaust valve push rod had buckled and fractured near mid-length. The push rod fracture surfaces showed failure signatures consistent with overload precipitated by a stuck valve. No other engine anomalies were observed.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 125 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 48 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 23, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,832 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2011; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Professionals Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: IGQ Lansing IL at 9:10 pm
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; a few clouds at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from MDW, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.