Cessna 150G accident near Pontiac, Illinois, January 9, 2015
On January 9, 2015 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 150G, registered N2871S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Pontiac, Illinois (Pontiac Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s loss of directional control during an attempted go-around with a crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during examination of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2015 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pontiac, Illinois · Pontiac Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150G UNDESIGNAT, built 1967 · all 150Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2871S · no longer on the register · serial 15066771
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was attempting to land the airplane but conducted an attempted go-around. The flight instructor then took control of the airplane. The student pilot reported that, as the flight instructor was attempting the second landing, the airplane bounced, at which time, the flight instructor initiated a go-around. The flight instructor reported that the engine then began to sputter and that, when he turned off the carburetor heat, the engine quit as the airplane was about 5 ft above the ground. He further stated that a right crosswind pushed the airplane to the left and that he subsequently attempted to land the airplane in a field left of the runway; however, the landing gear sunk into the snow, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. Examination of the airplane, engine, and carburetor revealed no anomalies. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. Based on the available information, it is likely that the flight instructor lost directional control during the attempted go-around, which resulted in an off-runway landing and a subsequent nose-over.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Loss of engine power (total) during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 400 as pilot in command; 130 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 12, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 22.2 hours in all; 19.3 in this make and model; 22.2 in the last 90 days; 3.5 in the last 30 days; 0.5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,409 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 9, 2014; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,499 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Griffith Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: 05C Griffith IN
- Destination: PNT Pontiac IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from PNT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.