# Accident 19980107000149A: Cessna P210N, Decatur, IL, January 7, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 7, 1998, 14:47 local time
- Place: Decatur, IL
- Airport: Decatur
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.8302° N, 89.0500° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8302&lon=-89.0500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6669P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6669P-2017-02-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna P210N (registry code 2073454, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p210n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA P210N
- Reported engine: CONT TSIO520P
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,192 total, 22 in this make and model, 59 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98FA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA080) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980107000149A

## Narrative

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

LOST CONTROL ON CLIMB TO CRUISE IN IMC ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN. (.4)THE PILOT CALLED THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN.  HE WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AFTER TAKEOFF.  RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED AND THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 6,000 FEET AND TO PROCEED ON COURSE.  THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS TRANSMISSION.  THREE MINUTES LATER THE CHAMPAIGN APPROACH CONTROLLER ASKED THE PILOT TO VERIFY THAT WICHITA WAS HIS DESTINATION.  THE PILOT MADE A TRANSMISSION OF WHICH ONLY THE LAST PORTION 'SIX NINE PAPA' WAS LEGIBLE.  THE APPROACH CONTROLLER NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TURNING RIGHT AND NOT LEFT AS INSTRUCTED.  THE CONTROLLER ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE PILOT REGARDING THE TURN, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. ONE WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE '...COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS HEADING STRAIGHT DOWN TO A NOSE DIVE.'  ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE 'WIDE OPEN'.  THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1 1/4 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE                  PRECLUDED OPERATION. (-23) N6669P CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 36 AT DECATUR, ILLINOIS.  WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WERE WINDS GUSTING FROM THE NORTH, SEVEN MILES VISIBILITY, 500 FOOT OVERCAST AND A TEMPERATURE OF 4 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. AFTER ESTABLISHING RADAR CONTACT WITH THE CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS DEPARTURE CONTROL, N6669P ENTERED A TURN TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE NORTHEAST OF THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS AIRPORT.  THE AIRMAN DIED UPON IMPACT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98FA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA080), Jan 7, 1998: Cessna P210N (N6669P), Decatur, IL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing factors were low ceiling and freezing drizzle.

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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