What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 14, 2026, about 1600 central standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Tailwind W-8 airplane was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Poplar
Grove airport (C77). The airplane was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight.
The pilot attended a local fly-in event at cottonwood airport (1C8),rockford, Illinois, and was returning to Poplar Grove Airport (C77) at the time of the accident.
The pilot departed 1C8 about 15 minutes before the accident. The pilot was not in communication with air traffic control and did not ADS-B.
The airplane impacted the ground between two homes in a residential community about .7 NM
South of C77. All major components of the airplane were
Accounted for at the accident site.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 14, 2026, ABOUT 1600 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR-BUILT TAILWIND W-8 AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR POPLAR
GROVE AIRPORT (C77). THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.
THE PILOT ATTENDED A LOCAL FLY-IN EVENT AT COTTONWOOD AIRPORT (1C8),ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, AND WAS RETURNING TO POPLAR GROVE AIRPORT (C77) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
THE PILOT DEPARTED 1C8 ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT IN COMMUNICATION WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND DID NOT ADS-B.
THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND BETWEEN TWO HOMES IN A RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY ABOUT .7 NM
SOUTH OF C77. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE
ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.