SHOCKING Info About N28XT Fatal Crash Aug 11 Monticello IA, Prelim Updates...

SHOCKING Info About N28XT Fatal Crash Aug 11 Monticello IA, Prelim Updates...
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#fligdebrief #planecrash #plaincrash #pilotfatalcrash
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SHOCKING Info About N28XT Fatal Crash Aug 11 Monticello IA, Prelim Updates...
You don’t expect to hear a warbird pilot calmly report a prop governor failure… and then, just minutes later, total engine power loss. But that’s exactly what happened on August 11th, 2025, in Monticello, Iowa. A North American T-28B Trojan, flown by 69-year-old Jim Rohlf, a well-known warbird instructor and performer, went down during a desperate forced landing attempt. The NTSB has now released their preliminary report — and while it doesn’t give us the final cause yet, it does reveal some truly shocking details that we need to talk about. Let's check it out!
SHOCKING Info About N28XT Fatal Crash Aug 11 Monticello IA, Prelim Updates...
So, let’s walk through what actually happened that afternoon. It started as a routine personal flight out of Monticello Regional Airport. Nothing unusual, until Jim came on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency — CTAF — and reported he was having a propeller governor failure. Now, that’s already a serious problem in an aircraft like this. But then, just moments later, things escalated fast. He radioed again: this time saying he had a total loss of engine power.
At that point, Jim made the call to put the plane down in a nearby bean field, about two miles southeast of the airport. According to the NTSB prelim, he kept the landing gear retracted during that attempt. The aircraft hit the field, traveled about 275 feet, and then broke up badly before coming to rest inverted. There was no post-crash fire — but the wreckage was catastrophic.
And here’s the frustrating part: weather was absolutely not an issue. Clear skies, light winds, good visibility. This wasn’t about external conditions. This was a pure mechanical emergency, the kind that’s every pilot’s nightmare.
The Aircraft, Engine & Systems
SHOCKING Info About N28XT Fatal Crash Aug 11 Monticello IA, Prelim Updates...
Now, for some context, let’s talk about what Jim was flying. The T-28B Trojan is not your average weekend airplane. This is a heavy, high-powered, ex-military trainer built for toughness but also demanding a lot of skill from the pilot. It’s powered by the Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9, a massive nine-cylinder radial engine. This engine can put out over 1,400 horsepower, but here’s the thing: it’s maintenance-intensive. You’re dealing with a lot of moving parts, high torque, and an oil system that has to be absolutely healthy for everything to work right.