Cessna 182S incident near Springfield, Illinois, December 10, 2014
On December 10, 2014 at about 8:40 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 182S, registered N661SP, suffered minor damage in an incident during maneuvering near Springfield, Illinois. It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. 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 improper installation of a doubler patch, which prevented the right flap from actuating and moving properly and led to the subsequent interference with the aileron.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2014 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Illinois · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182S, built 2000 · all 182Ss on the register
- Registration
- N661SP · registry record · serial 18280825
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a proficiency flight for one of the pilots, he was demonstrating a slow-flight recovery procedure, and he added power and began retracting the flaps. When the flaps passed through 10 degrees toward fully retracted, the pilot felt an uncommanded right yoke control movement. As the pilot applied more pressure to the control yoke to maintain level flight, both pilots heard a loud pop, and the uncommanded right yoke control movement stopped. The pilots assessed the airplane and noted that the right flap was buckled. They then conducted a precautionary landing without incident. A postaccident examination of the airplane found that the inboard portion of the right flap had become dislodged from its track and that the flap had shifted outboard and contacted the aileron. Further examination of the flap system found that a doubler patch had been improperly installed on the lower trailing edge skin; the improper installation altered the curvature of the lower trailing edge skin and infringed on the normal actuation of the flap rollers. Both the inboard and outboard brackets surrounding the flap track had fractured due to the repeated stress applied during the flap roller actuation. A review of the public agency's fleet of airplanes found similar curvature of the lower trailing edge skin and bracket damage due to the improper installation of doubler patches.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Flight control sys malf/fail during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Trailing edge flaps › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Plates/skins (on wing) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,850 hours in all; 2,750 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3,750 as pilot in command; 415 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 9, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,417 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 2014; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,110 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 (piston); 6,492 hours total
- Operator: Illinois State Police
The flight
- Departed from: Springfield IL at 8:00 pm
- Destination: Springfield IL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,900 ft; ovct at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from KSPI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N661SP 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.