Cessna 175A accident near Shelby, Illinois, July 17, 2012
On July 17, 2012 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 175A, registered N7003E, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Shelby, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to oil starvation for reasons that could not be determined because engine examinations revealed no malfunctions or failures that would have led to oil starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2012 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shelby, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175A · all 175As on the register
- Registration
- N7003E · registry record · serial 56503
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, the pilot-rated passenger and flight instructor heard a knocking sound from the engine. The flight instructor reduced the engine power and diverted the airplane toward the nearest airport. Subsequently, the pilots heard a loud "clunk" sound from the engine, the engine lost power, and smoke filled the cockpit. The flight instructor executed a forced landing to a field, and the airplane nosed over. An examination of the engine found that the No. 3 cylinder had failed due to oil starvation; however, a reason for the oil starvation could not be determined.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Eng oil sys (airframe furnish) › Quantity › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor GO-300 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AID Anderson IN
- Destination: C77 Poplar Grove IL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KGEZ
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.