20150821013509A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Martinville, IL · August 21, 2015

Date: August 21, 2015 · 07:30 local
Place: Martinville, IL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8265B
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15FA378
Reported as: Cessna 172
Reported engine: Continental 0-300 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 229 total199 in this make and model

N8265BRegistration cancelled Nov 5, 2015 · Cessna 172S/N 36065 · Built 1957 Airframe modelCessna 172 Engine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft flew north at approximately 4 feet above ground level for 300 feet while touching the top of the bean plants in a bean field with his left and nose gear before suddenly impacting the ground at a 34 degree angle and ending upside down in the field 100 feet north of impact. The airman sustained fatal injury on impact and the aircraft was destroyed as a result of this event.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT FLEW NORTH AT APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL FOR 300 FEET WHILE TOUCHING THE TOP OF THE BEAN PLANTS IN A BEAN FIELD WITH HIS LEFT AND NOSE GEAR BEFORE SUDDENLY IMPACTING THE GROUND AT A 34 DEGREE ANGLE AND ENDING UPSIDE DOWN IN THE FIELD 100 FEET NORTH OF IMPACT. THE AIRMAN SUSTAINED FATAL INJURY ON IMPACT AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN15FA378Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportMartinville, ILThe non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain.Aug 21, 2015 · Substantial damage