Cessna 172M accident near Brimfield, Illinois, September 18, 1982
On September 18, 1982 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9871Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brimfield, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1982 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Brimfield, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9871Q · no longer on the register · serial 17265815
- 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 ABOUT 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WAS EXPERIENCED AND WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE SOUNDS OF METAL-TO-METAL CONTACT. HE HEADED TOWARD AN AIRPORT ABOUT 12 MILES AWAY, BUT SHORTLY THEREAFTER, TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A CORN FIELD. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NO 4 EXHAUST VALVE HAD FAILED. EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE VALVE GUIDE AND VALVE STEM HAD OCCURRED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF POOR HEAT DISSIPATION FROM THE VALVE AND UNEVEN/HIGH SEATING VELOCITIES ON THE VALVE HEAD. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 2156 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME AND HAD NEVER BEEN OVERHAULED. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMEND OVERHAULS AT 2000 HR INTERVALS AND OIL CHANGES AT 50 HR INTERVALS. THE ENGINE LOG BOOK INDICATED THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT ABOUT 200 HR INTERVALS. LYCOMING SERVICE BULLETIN NO 388A RECOMMENDED CHECKING VALVE GUIDE CLEARANCE AT MID-POINT OF SERVICE TIME OR EARLIER, BUT THE SERVICE BULLETIN HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,156 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 23 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Macomb IL at 1:15 pm
- Destination: Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.