What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was departing private landing strip downwind, wingtip contacted tall corn and flipped over on its back. (.19) on August 13, 1999, at 0910 central daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N4425L, sustained substantial damage when during takeoff from Robinson rla (restricted landing area)(2100 feet x 75 feet dry/turf) near Glenarm, Illinois, the airplane drifted right, struck corn, and nosed over. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the flight. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The private pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. In a telephone interview, the pilot said that he listened to springfield ATIS (automated terminal information service) before takeoff. The pilot stated that on takeoff he rotated at 60 mph. He said that on climb out the airplane drifted right and struck corn. He said that the contact with the corn "sucked" the airplane further into the corn and it flipped on its back. At 0954, the capitol airport, springfield, Illinois observation was: wind 290 degrees at 17 knots gusts to 23 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition scattere d 1,400 feet overcast 2,200; temperature 23 degrees c; dew point 19 degrees c; altimeter 29.80 inches of mercury. (-23)airman began takeoff roll down wind on a narrow private airstrip. During liftoff wing contacted tall corn. Aircraft to rest inverted in the corn approximately 150 feet from point of initial contact. Neither the airman nor his two passengers received injuries. The aircraft received substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS DEPARTING PRIVATE LANDING STRIP DOWNWIND, WINGTIP CONTACTED TALL CORN AND FLIPPED OVER ON ITS BACK. (.19) ON AUGUST 13, 1999, AT 0910 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172G, N4425L, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN DURING TAKEOFF FROM ROBINSON RLA (RESTRICTED LANDING AREA)(2100 FEET X 75 FEET DRY/TURF) NEAR GLENARM, ILLINOIS, THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT, STRUCK CORN, AND NOSED OVER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE LISTENED TO SPRINGFIELD ATIS (AUTOMATED TERMINAL INFORMATION SERVICE) BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON TAKEOFF HE ROTATED AT 60 MPH. HE SAID THAT ON CLIMB OUT THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT AND STRUCK CORN. HE SAID THAT THE CONTACT WITH THE CORN "SUCKED" THE AIRPLANE FURTHER INTO THE CORN AND IT FLIPPED ON ITS BACK. AT 0954, THE CAPITOL AIRPORT, SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS OBSERVATION WAS: WIND 290 DEGREES AT 17 KNOTS GUSTS TO 23 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES; SKY CONDITION SCATTERE D 1,400 FEET OVERCAST 2,200; TEMPERATURE 23 DEGREES C; DEW POINT 19 DEGREES C; ALTIMETER 29.80 INCHES OF MERCURY. (-23)AIRMAN BEGAN TAKEOFF ROLL DOWN WIND ON A NARROW PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. DURING LIFTOFF WING CONTACTED TALL CORN. AIRCRAFT TO REST INVERTED IN THE CORN APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM POINT OF INITIAL CONTACT. NEITHER THE AIRMAN NOR HIS TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.