Cessna 172 accident near Baileyville, Illinois, August 23, 1987
On August 23, 1987 at about 9:18 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8207B, was destroyed in an accident near Baileyville, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- August 23, 1987 · about 9:18 pm local time
- Place
- Baileyville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8207B · registry record · serial 36007
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PERFORMING A LOW LEVEL (300-400' ABOVE THE GROUND) FLIGHT SEARCH FOR A REMOTE CONTROLLED AIRCRAFT THAT HAD BEEN LOST DURING FLIGHT, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A 'TIGHT LEFT TURN', AND THEN THE NOSE SUDDENLY DROPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO A CORNFIELD IN A 50-60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE.
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: 445 hours in all; 414 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 410 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,644 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 1987; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RLA Baileyville IL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:06 pm from RFD, 15 miles away
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.