Cessna 172R accident near Greenwood, Illinois, September 26, 2002
On September 26, 2002 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N3510A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenwood, Illinois. 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 CFI's poor inflight planning/decision to allow the airplane to get to too low of an altitude to assure a safe recovery from the simulated forced landing. Factors associated with the accident were the student pilot's delay initiating the go around and the corn crop which the airplane contacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2002 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwood, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3510A · registry record · serial 17281042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with corn and the terrain during a simulated forced landing. The CFI reported they were at 4,500 feet mean sea level when a simulated loss of engine power was initiated. He reported that the best glide speed was established and they proceeded to a field that was selected. The CFI reported that at an altitude of about 50 feet above the ground, he instructed the student to go around. He stated that the student hesitated in adding the power, and when he did hear the power increase it did not sound like full power. He continued to state, "I proceeded to say full power and tried to put my hand on the throttle but his hand was still there. I pushed his hand in and then went immediately to reduce the flaps to 20 degrees." He stated he also increased the pitch attitude of the airplane, but by that time they were 10 to 15 feet above the ground. The CFI reported that before a positive rate of climb could be established, the landing gear contacted the corn and the airplane was pulled into the field. The student pilot reported that he hesitated when he was instructed to add full power. Title 14 CFR Part 91.119 - Minimum Safe Altitudes: General states, in part,: Except when necessary for takeoff and landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes: (a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface and (c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,504 hours in all; 1,078 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 1,458 as pilot in command; 1,148 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 9 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 855 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 2002; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 7:35 pm
- Destination: UGN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from UGN, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.