What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 20, 2001, at 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N6609G, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when it departed controlled flight and impacted into a corn field 1/2 mile southeast of Union, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The local flight originated from a private airstrip 1 1/2 miles southeast of Union, Illinois. Two witnesses observed the airplane flying toward the west. One witness said, "the plane was really low. This was exceptionally low." The witnesses said they watched the airplane initiate a turn to the north. The other witness said, "it (the airplane) was low and slow and the turn was tight. As he looked like he was going to complete the turn, he went straight down." The witness said the airplane disappeared into the cornfield. The witness said then she saw dust and debris coming up from the field. They called 9-1-1. Both witnesses estimated the airplane to be approximately 200 to 300 feet above the ground when it began to turn. (-23) N6609G was destroyed when during a turn, it entered a spin and impacted the ground.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 20, 2001, AT 1430 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 150L, N6609G, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT DEPARTED CONTROLLED FLIGHT AND IMPACTED INTO A CORN FIELD 1/2 MILE SOUTHEAST OF UNION, ILLINOIS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP 1 1/2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF UNION, ILLINOIS. TWO WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING TOWARD THE WEST. ONE WITNESS SAID, "THE PLANE WAS REALLY LOW. THIS WAS EXCEPTIONALLY LOW." THE WITNESSES SAID THEY WATCHED THE AIRPLANE INITIATE A TURN TO THE NORTH. THE OTHER WITNESS SAID, "IT (THE AIRPLANE) WAS LOW AND SLOW AND THE TURN WAS TIGHT. AS HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS GOING TO COMPLETE THE TURN, HE WENT STRAIGHT DOWN." THE WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED INTO THE CORNFIELD. THE WITNESS SAID THEN SHE SAW DUST AND DEBRIS COMING UP FROM THE FIELD. THEY CALLED 9-1-1. BOTH WITNESSES ESTIMATED THE AIRPLANE TO BE APPROXIMATELY 200 TO 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN IT BEGAN TO TURN. (-23) N6609G WAS DESTROYED WHEN DURING A TURN, IT ENTERED A SPIN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.