- Date
- August 28, 2005, 17:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- McConnell, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5211LPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- West Chicago, IL FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050828024299A
- Case key
- 62361
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight/planning which resulted in the attempted takeoff on the soft airstrip. Factors associated with the accident were the soft terrain, the corn crop, and the inadequate airspeed achieved during the takeoff roll.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane collided with a corn crop during takeoff from a 1,400 foot long grass private airstrip. The pilot reported there was insufficient airspeed to takeoff. He stated there was a dike located off the end of the airstrip and in order to avoid contacting it, he turned the airplane to the left into a corn field. The airplane contacted the corn and spun around prior to coming to rest. The pilot, who is also the owner of the airstrip, stated the airstrip is located near a river and tends to be soft. He stated the airstrip was mowed the day prior to the accident. He stated that after the accident he walked the airstrip and determined that the ground was soft.
Factual narrative
On August 28, 2005, at 1740 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N5211L, collided with a corn crop during takeoff from a private airstrip (1,400 feet long, wet grass), in McConnell, Illinois. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported the airplane did not gain sufficient airspeed to takeoff. He stated there was a dike located off the end of the airstrip and in order to avoid contacting it, he turned the airplane to the left into a corn field. The airplane contacted the corn and spun around prior to coming to rest.
The pilot, who is also the owner of the airstrip, stated the airstrip is located near a river and tends to be soft. He stated the airstrip was mowed the day prior to the accident. He stated that after the accident he walked the airstrip and determined that the ground was soft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5211L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4503
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Franklin L. Leverton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PVT · McConnell, IL
- Destination
- PVT
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 82
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 129 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- RFD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.