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20250927015789A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Dehavilland Tiger Moth DH 82A · Harvard, IL · September 27, 2025

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Date
September 27, 2025 · 18:45 local
Place
Harvard, IL
Airport
Dacy
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N206DH
Reported as
Dehavilland Tiger Moth DH 82A
Reported engine
Dehav ENG GIPSY MAJOR
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
3,550 total150 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

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.

On September 27, 2025, at approximately 1839 CDT, the pilot in command (PIC) of privacy data omitted, a Dehavilland tiger mother DH-82A, departed Dacy Airport (0C0) in Harvard, IL, on a flight conducted in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and using visual flight rules (VFR). The nearest automatic terminal information service (ATIS) reported calm conditions and broken sky cover, krfd 271554Z 25006KT 10SM FEW250 26/14 A2997 rmk AO2 SLP144 T02560144.

The PIC conducted a leisure flight, with a passenger on board. As the PIC departed runway 27, the aircraft veered left of centerline and caught the left wingtip in the corn adjacent to the runway. The aircraft came to rest approximately 10 feet into the cornfield, just south of the runway. The PIC indicated that the sun momentarily blinded him during the takeoff roll, causing the drift off of the runway centerline and subsequent runway excursion. Post-accident investigation of the aircraft determined the flight controls were operating normally. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No injuries were reported by the PIC or passenger.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the aircraft involved in the accident had an expired federal registration in violation of 14 CFR part 91.203(a)(2). Additionally, it was discovered that the aircraft did not have an airworthiness certificate onboard in violation of 14 CFR part 91. 203(a)(1).

As the FAA filed it

ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1839 CDT, THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A DEHAVILLAND TIGER MOTHER DH-82A, DEPARTED DACY AIRPORT (0C0) IN HARVARD, IL, ON A FLIGHT CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) AND USING VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR). THE NEAREST AUTOMATIC TERMINAL INFORMATION SERVICE (ATIS) REPORTED CALM CONDITIONS AND BROKEN SKY COVER, KRFD 271554Z 25006KT 10SM FEW250 26/14 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP144 T02560144.

THE PIC CONDUCTED A LEISURE FLIGHT, WITH A PASSENGER ON BOARD. AS THE PIC DEPARTED RUNWAY 27, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT OF CENTERLINE AND CAUGHT THE LEFT WINGTIP IN THE CORN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET INTO THE CORNFIELD, JUST SOUTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE PIC INDICATED THAT THE SUN MOMENTARILY BLINDED HIM DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, CAUSING THE DRIFT OFF OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE AND SUBSEQUENT RUNWAY EXCURSION. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DETERMINED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED BY THE PIC OR PASSENGER.

UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT HAD AN EXPIRED FEDERAL REGISTRATION IN VIOLATION OF 14 CFR PART 91.203(A)(2). ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE ONBOARD IN VIOLATION OF 14 CFR PART 91. 203(A)(1).