Cessna 172 accident near Plato Center, Illinois, August 28, 1994
On August 28, 1994 at about 9:32 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N97618, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plato Center, Illinois (Olson Field). 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
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF ON A SHORT RUNWAY WITH A GROSS WEIGHT WHICH EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WEIGHT AND AN IMPROPER FLAP SETTING. A FACTOR WAS THE LOCATION OF OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1994 · about 9:32 pm local time
- Place
- Plato Center, Illinois · Olson Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N97618 · no longer on the register · serial 1727617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF FROM A 2400 FOOT RUNWAY WITH 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS. THE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE WITH 30 GALLONS FUEL AND 4 OCCUPANTS WAS ESTIMATED AT 2540 POUNDS. THE MAXIMUM CERTIFIED WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE WAS 2400 POUNDS. THE CALCULATED TAKEOFF DISTANCE FOR THE CONDITIONS WAS 1860 FEET AT 2400 POUNDS WITH A FLAP SETTING OF 10 DEGREES. THE PILOT HANDBOOK RECOMMENDS A 10 DEGREE FLAP SETTING FOR SHORT FIELD TAKEOFFS AND THAT FLAP SETTINGS GREATER THAN 10 DEGREES ARE NOT APPROVED FOR TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. POST-CRASH OPERATION OF THE ENGINE AT FULL THROTTLE RESULTED IN 2200 RPM.
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: 83 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 16 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,625 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 6, 1994; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 0GC Schaumburg IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from DPA, 9 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.