Cessna 177RG accident near Litchfield, Illinois, August 11, 2012
On August 11, 2012 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N1564H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Litchfield, Illinois (Litchfield 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 failure to maintain airplane control during the landing and the subsequent aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2012 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Litchfield, Illinois · Litchfield Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG NO SERIES · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N1564H · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0738
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot aborted the landing after the airplane veered off the runway and was headed toward airport lighting equipment. However, the airplane stalled during the initial climb and impacted a bean field. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 315 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 207 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 25, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,266 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALN Alton IL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 3LF Litchfield IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,002 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from 3LF
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.