# NTSB CHI02LA251: Cessna 210L, N3UF, Lacon, IL, August 10, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 10, 2002, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Lacon, IL - Coordinates: 41.019165, -89.38639 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0192&lon=-89.3864&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA, Springfield FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55542 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA251 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55542/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA251 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper in-flight decision to perform an intentional gear-up precautionary landing instead of continuing to the next available airport. A factor to the accident was the corn crop. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels up landing, landing - autopilot/flight director - other - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - flight to new destination - not selected, pilot in command (cause) - precautionary landing - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - wheels up landing - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing. The pilot reported that while descending from cruise altitude he "noticed that the autopilot descend button had gotten progressively warmer. " The pilot stated he "turned off the autopilot and noticed that the panel around the autopilot was also very hot." The pilot reported he, "turned off the master switch thinking I may have the beginning of an electrical fire and started thinking of landing at the nearest airport. Within about a minute I smelled something hot or burning and I immediately picked out a field in which to land. I did not notice any smoke." The pilot reported he made the decision to perform the precautionary landing between 2,500 - 3,000 feet msl. The pilot performed the precautionary landing with the landing gear in the fully retracted position. The airplane was located in a cornfield that was approximately 4 nautical miles northeast of the nearest airport, which had two hard surfaced runways. There was no evidence of fire and/or smoke damage to the accident airplane. No discrepancies were identified with the autopilot unit and/or system. ## Factual narrative On August 10, 2002, at 1330 central daylight time, a Cessna 210L, N3UF, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage while executing a precautionary landing near Lacon, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The business flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight departed Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), Sugar Grove, Illinois, at 1300. The intended destination was Mount Hawley Auxiliary Airport (3MY), Peoria, Illinois. According to the pilot's written statement, while descending from cruise altitude he "noticed that the autopilot descend button had gotten progressively warmer. The last time I checked it, it was too hot to hold down. I turned off the autopilot and noticed that the panel around the autopilot was also very hot. I turned off the master switch thinking I may have the beginning of an electrical fire and started thinking of landing at the nearest airport. Within about a minute I smelled something hot or burning and I immediately picked out a field in which to land. I did not notice any smoke." The pilot reported he made the decision to perform the precautionary landing between 2,500 - 3,000 feet msl. The pilot stated, "I made a 130 degree turn to the east, pulled the mixture control and landed in the corn[field]." According to a written statement provided by the pilot's mechanic, the pilot reported the "instrument panel was so hot he could not hold his hand on it." The pilot reported to the mechanic that he had "smelled smoke and made a gear up landing in a cornfield." The airplane was located in a cornfield that was approximately 4 nautical miles northeast of the nearest airport, Marshal County Airport (C75), Lacon, Illinois. C75 has 2 runways, runway 13/31 (3,200 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) and runway 18/36 (2,200 feet by 50 feet, asphalt). According to the airplane mechanic who is rebuilding the airplane, there was no evidence of fire and/or smoke damage to the accident airplane. The mechanic also reported there were no discrepancies with the autopilot unit and/or system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3UF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3UF), registered now, S/N 21061410, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 210L - Registry model: [Cessna 210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-210l) (registry code 2073448) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 21061410 - Airframe hours: 1646 - Engines: Teledyne Continental IO-520-L 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Alpheus W. Altorfer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 2, 2002, 1.2 hours before - Departed: ARR, Sugar Grove, IL - Destination: 3MY, Peoria, IL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 24, 1999; seat: left; flight hours: 362 total, 271 in this make and model, 281 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: C75, 4 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020810038219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020810038219A), Aug 10, 2002: Cessna 210L, Lacon, IL, Substantial damage. (-23) On August 10, 2002 at approx. 1300 CST, the appropriately rated pilot and one passenger departed aurora, IL (arr) enroute to Mt. Hawley, IL (3MY).… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.