Cessna 172M accident near Bloomington, Illinois, August 26, 1999
On August 26, 1999 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61612, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bloomington, Illinois. 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's inadequate visual lookout and not performing a maneuver to avoid obstructions. A factor was the road signs.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1999 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomington, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61612 · no longer on the register · serial 17264675
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was landed on the road in a precautionary landing following a rough running engine. The pilot obtained the services of a mechanic to repair the airplane's magneto. After the repairs were completed, the pilot was taxiing the airplane for departure when both wings were damaged when they impacted road signs on each side of the roadway. Witnesses saw the airplane approaching the signs; however, had no way of warning the pilot who did not see them prior to impact.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,096 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 1,585 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,909 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1999; 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: NONE at 3:45 pm
- Destination: SUS St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from BMI, 5 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.