Cessna 182D accident near Mt. Vernon, Illinois, April 16, 1988
On April 16, 1988 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182D, registered N8891X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Vernon, Illinois (Mt. Vernon 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
- April 16, 1988 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Vernon, Illinois · Mt. Vernon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182D · all 182Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8891X · registry record · serial 18253291
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ELECTING TO GO-AROUND ON HIS FIRST APPROACH, THE STUDENT PILOT BALLOONED THE AIRCRAFT AS HE PASSED OVER THE RUNWAY ON THE SECOND APPROACH. REMEDIAL ACTION WAS ATTEMPTED, BUT THE PILOT OVERCONTROLLED AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RUNWAY SLIGHTLY NOSEWHEEL FIRST AND VERY HARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS EXTREMELY FATIGUED.
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: student
- Flight time: 91 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,338 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 22, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H2 Effingham IL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: MVN Mt. Vernon IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,149 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 150 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MDH, 37 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.