Accident Overview
The accident occurred on August 11, 2012, at 1150 central daylight time at Litchfield Municipal Airport (3LF) in Litchfield, Illinois. A Cessna 177RG, registration N1564H, was making an approach to runway 36 when the pilot encountered a veering motion during landing. The pilot elected to abort the landing and initiated a climb. The airplane then stalled, struck trees, and subsequently came to rest in a bean field. The pilot reported minor injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight operated under Part 91 personal rules, with visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated from St. Louis Regional Airport, Alton, Illinois, about 1130.
Pilot Actions
The pilot stated that during the landing, the airplane veered left toward airport lighting equipment. In response, the pilot performed an aborted landing. During the initial climb, the airplane stalled and impacted trees. After the tree impact, the airplane landed on a bean field. The pilot noted that no mechanical malfunction or failure occurred with the airplane at the time of the accident.
Pilot Assessment
As a recommendation, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by better control upon landing and recognition of crosswind conditions.