- Date
- October 19, 1985, 18:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Murphysboro, IL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9271ACessna 170A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851019052639A
- Case key
- 13227
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt took off in marginal VMC in an acft placarded for 'day VFR only'. Aprx 32 minutes after takeoff the acft collided with trees and descended to ground impact. A hunter in the local area at the time of the accident reported hearing the acft eng sound change as if the acft were turning. He stated he could not see the acft because of low clouds, poor visibility and heavy rain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9271A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19032
- Engine
- Continental C-145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul E. Van Houten
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 2, 1984
- Departed
- MDH · Carbondale, IL
- Destination
- Stuttgart, AR
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,687 total · 2,197 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MDH, 12 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.
Other investigations on N9271A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.