Cessna 172N accident near Poplar Grove, Illinois, November 18, 2012
On November 18, 2012 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4811G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Poplar Grove, Illinois (Poplar Grove 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 directional control of the airplane while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2012 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar Grove, Illinois · Poplar Grove Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4811G · registry record · serial 17273359
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings on runway 12. During the landing roll after the third landing, the airplane started to drift to the right and the pilot corrected with rudder. The airplane departed the runway to the right and struck a ditch. During the impact, the left wing struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported 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 (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 103 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 2, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,673 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2012
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C77 Poplar Grove IL at 6:05 pm
- Destination: C77 Poplar Grove IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 3,773 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from KRFD, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N4811G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.