# Accident 20250927015789A: Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A, Harvard, IL, September 27, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 27, 2025, 18:45 local time
- Place: Harvard, IL
- Airport: Dacy
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4025° N, 88.6324° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DACY (0C0), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4025&lon=-88.6324&mi=10
- Aircraft: N206DH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND TIGER MOTH DH 82A
- Reported engine: DEHAV ENG GIPSY MAJOR
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,550 total, 150 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250927015789A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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).

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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