Cessna 172F accident near Newark, Illinois, July 31, 2016
On July 31, 2016 at about 4:35 pm local time, a 1965 Cessna 172F, registered N211FC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Newark, Illinois. 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 failure of the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and a forced landing. Contributing to the valve failure and loss of engine power was the extended time since the last overhaul.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2016 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Newark, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F, built 1965 · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N211FC · no longer on the register · serial 17253173
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a cross-country flight when the airplane had a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot stated that the engine continued to run but that there was an excessive vibration and significant loss of power. The pilot's corrective actions did not restore normal engine operation, and he made a forced landing in a nearby field. The airplane's nose landing gear collapsed when it impacted a berm during the landing roll, and the airplane came to rest in a nose-down attitude with structural damage to the lower fuselage. A postaccident engine examination revealed a failure of the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve. About 1/2 of the No. 4 exhaust valve was located during the examination, and the recovered portions exhibited significant impact damage. The failure of the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve would have resulted in a significant loss of engine power during the flight. The engine had accumulated 2,146.9 hours since its last major overhaul, which was completed more than 27 years before the accident. According to available maintenance documentation, the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve had not been repaired or replaced since the last major overhaul. According to the engine manufacturer, the recommended time between overhaul (TBO) is every 1,800 hours or 12 years, whichever occurs first; however, the operator was not required to comply with the recommended TBO interval under current regulations due to the type of 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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Not serviced/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,267 hours in all; 1,263 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,136 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,036.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 26, 2016; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 5,212 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 2:45 pm
- Destination: C09 Morris IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from C09, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector Statement (Glenn Anthony) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Conversation (William Keeney) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Engine Examination Photo Summary (Source FAA) | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Logbook (Excerpts) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Email Correspondence (Engine History) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Continental Maintenance Manual Excerpts (Recommended Time Between Overhaul) | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.