Event CHI95LA177

Factual narrative

On June 9, 1995, at 1353 central daylight time, a Cessna R172E, N5173, operated by Illinois Aerial Advertising, collided with the terrain during a banner pick-up at the Olson Field, Plato Center, Illinois. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. The banner had been positioned for a pick-up using the southwest runway. After the banner had been layed out a wind shift occurred which favored using the northeast runway. Instead of the banner being repositioned for the favorable runway, the pilot elected to make a downwind pick-up. According to the pilot and witnesses, a downwind pick-up was made, and the pilot initiated a steep pull-up. The airplane stalled, and the pilot released the banner, but was unable to recover prior to contacting the ground. The airplane descended in a nose low attitude with the nose wheel striking the ground a separating from the airplane. The airplane nosed over and came to rest on a heading opposite the direction of travel with approximately the right half of the airplane lying on the runway. Winds reported at Dupage County Airport, 20 miles southeast of Olson Field, at 1350 cdt, were form 050 degrees at 11 knots. DURING A DOWNWIND BANNER PICKUP THE PILOT INITIATED A STEEP CLIMB AFTER HOOKING THE BANNER. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND THE PILOT RELEASED THE BANNER. THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN INTO THE TERRAIN NEXT TO THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12