Cessna 172 accident near Apple River, Illinois, March 1, 2008
On March 1, 2008 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8366B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Apple River, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and his failure to obtain/maintain directional control. Contributing factors were a crosswind and a snow bank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2008 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Apple River, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8366B · no longer on the register · serial 36166
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane entered the airport traffic pattern, and he made a visual approach to runway 35 with a 90 degree crosswind. He stated that he was "slow" on final, and when he touched down using a soft field landing procedure, the airplane was "pushed" off the runway by a wind gust, contacted a snow bank with the left main landing gear tire, and nosed over. Both wings were damaged.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 6 in the last 30 days; 165 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M71 Moscow Hills MO
- Destination: 7A4 Apple River IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,996 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from DBQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.