Cessna 172 accident near Mendota, Illinois, March 26, 1988
On March 26, 1988 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N35407, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mendota, Illinois (Grandpa'S Farm airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- March 26, 1988 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mendota, Illinois · Grandpa'S Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N35407 · registry record · serial 17256753
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL, IN GUSTY, CROSSWIND CONDITIONS THE UPWIND WING OF THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED AND THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A NOSEOVER.
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: 191 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 135 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,776 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1988; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C73 Dixon IL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 0C7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,980 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from ARR, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.