Amateur-built PULSAR 912XP accident near Plato Center, Illinois, December 2, 2017
On December 2, 2017 at about 10:50 pm local time, a 1995 amateur-built PULSAR 912XP, registered N912GR, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Plato Center, Illinois (Olson 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue to land without visual reference to the airport in low light conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to activate the private airport’s pilot-controlled lighting system due to its configuration.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2017 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Plato Center, Illinois · Olson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PULSAR 912XP NO SERIES, built 1995
- Registration
- N912GR · registry record · serial 329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while making a straight-in approach to a private airport just after dusk, but before dark, he attempted to activate the pilot-controlled lighting (PCL) but was unsuccessful. He added that he continued toward the airport, and while maneuvering for landing, he lost sight of the airport. The pilot did not regain visual reference of the airport during the landing descent, and the airplane impacted a fence adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport owner reported that the PCL antenna required line-of-sight with the aircraft to operate the PCL system. Due to the antenna's position and hangars on the airport, the antenna did not receive signals from the southeast, the direction from which the accident airplane was approaching. He added that, because the airport was private, he could not issue a NOTAM to describe the operation of the runway lights.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Loss of visual reference during approach
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Geographic disorient (lost) › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway lighting › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Low light › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 540 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3.5 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 8, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 542 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 30, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,060 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 542 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWV Lawrenceville IL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: LL53 Plato Center IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway SW, 2,400 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from KDPA, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N912GR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA069.