# Accident 20260228001079A: Van Burenburg, IL, February 28, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 28, 2026, 09:00 local time
- Place: Van Burenburg, IL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: NONE (not matched to a registry record)
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260228001079A

## Narrative

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

THE OPERATOR OF THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FOR A NORMAL FLIGHT. ROUGHLY 15 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT OPERATOR FELT A "THUD," HEARD A "BOOM," THEN FELT "SHUDDERING." THIS WAS WHEN THE PROPELLER DETACHED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT FLANG AND LEFT THE AIRCRAFT. THE OPERATOR SUCESSFULY GLIDED AND LANDED IN A TILLED FIELD. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR BROKE OFF DUE TO THE ROUGH LANDING SURFACE. THIS RESULTED IN A LARGE TEAR IN THE RIGHT WING FABRIC COVERING DUE TO THE PROPELLER SEPERATION. THE OPERATOR DID NOT HOLD AN FAA MEDICAL OR PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE PILOT WAS AN ULTRALIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND EXAMINER, THROUGH A PROGRAM WITH EAA, WHO HAD SUPPORTED ULTRALIGHT ACTIVITIES 20+ YEARS AGO. NO INJURIES REPORTED.

## 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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