Cessna 140 accident near Monmouth, Illinois, August 25, 2011
On August 25, 2011 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N72688, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Monmouth, Illinois (Monmouth Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's loss of airplane control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2011 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Monmouth, Illinois · Monmouth Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N72688 · no longer on the register · serial 9864
- 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 he was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane when the airplane's tail inadvertently became airborne during the landing roll and that he was unable to regain control before the airplane nosed over. The airplane came to rest upside down on the runway centerline. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded the normal operation of the airplane. Although the pilot attributed the cause of the accident to his inadvertently landing with a tailwind, a review of historical wind data indicated that the prevailing wind would have resulted in a left crosswind of about 5 knots and a negligible tailwind component.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 416 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 10, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,806 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C66 Monmouth IL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: C66 Monmouth IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 2,899 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KGBG, 9 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.