Cessna 150 accident near Round Lake Park, Illinois, January 5, 2026
On January 5, 2026 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1971 Cessna 150, registered N101FA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Round Lake Park, Illinois (Campbell Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a soft-field takeoff and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2026 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Round Lake Park, Illinois · Campbell Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 L, built 1971 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N101FA · registry record · serial 15072843
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that her student was performing a simulated soft-field takeoff from a paved runway. Once the nose landing gear lifted off the runway, the airplane began to drift to the left. The instructor stated that she attempted to correct the drift while instructing the student to apply more right rudder. The airplane continued to drift to the left side of the runway as the main wheels lifted; the instructor reported she then took the flight controls to correct the drift, but was not able to regain directional control of the airplane before the left wing impacted trees. After the impact with the trees, the airplane rotated about 270° and came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane’s aft fuselage. The instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The instructor further reported that the accident could have been prevented if she was “shadowing” the flight controls and taken the flight controls sooner.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,291.2 hours in all; 351.1 in this make and model; 56.8 in the last 90 days; 17.1 in the last 30 days; 889.9 as pilot in command; 233.4 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 29, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8.3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,622 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 3, 2025; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 1,662 hours total
- Operator: Stiletto Beaver Touchdown LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,270 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from KUGN, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KUGN 052051Z 08005KT 10SM CLR 03/00 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP108 T00280000 53002 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | 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.