Amateur-built 235M accident near Rockford, Illinois, September 22, 1993
On September 22, 1993 at about 9:05 pm local time, a amateur-built 235M, registered N12TN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockford, Illinois (Cottonwood 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND DELAYED ABORTING THE LANDING. FACTORS WERE A WET RUNWAY AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1993 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Rockford, Illinois · Cottonwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 235M
- Registration
- N12TN · registry record · serial 117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS CONDUCTING HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN FIVE MONTHS IN THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE. DURING A LANDING ON WET TURF, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT RESPOND TO BRAKING AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE LANDING. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE LANDING GEAR IMPACTED AN EMBANKMENT AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND SLID TO A STOP.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 46 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1992; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JVL Janesville WI at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,540 ft by 260 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from RFD, 6 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.