Cessna 172H accident near Chenoa, Illinois, July 26, 1992
On July 26, 1992 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N8262L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chenoa, Illinois (Thacker--Rla airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION ON THE PART OF THE PILOT. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCIDENT WERE A LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION THE PILOT WAS UNDERTAKING, A PROPER CLIMB RATE NOT OBTAINED BY THE PILOT AND REMEDIAL ACTION NOT PERFORMED BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1992 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chenoa, Illinois · Thacker--Rla · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8262L · registry record · serial 17256462
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE PERFORMED A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF FROM A SOD FIELD WHICH HAD BEEN RAINED UPON DURING THE PREVIOUS EVENING. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB ONCE IT HAD LIFTED OFF AND WAS IN GROUND EFFECT. THE PILOT STATED HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE FLIGHT AND LAND INTO A CORN FIELD BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF CLIMB PERFORMANCE. THE PILOT STATED HE USED THE AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER'S PRESCRIBED SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF TECHNIQUES. WHEN ASKED IF HE HAD EXTENDED THE REQUIRED WING FLAPS PRIOR TO TAKEOFF INITIATION HE STATED HE DID NOT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,530 hours in all; 906 in this make and model; 174 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,313 as pilot in command; 1,262 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hall Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 11LL at 1:29 pm
- Destination: VPZ Valpariso IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,450 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded at 200 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:45 pm from BMI, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.