- Date
- November 17, 1986, 10:18 local (16:18 UTC)
- Place
- Bethalto, IL
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1631ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19861117056109A
- Case key
- 13687
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 pilot attempted an ILS approach into an airfield (runway 29) that was reporting a zero foot obscured ceiling with 1/16 mile visibiltiy and fog. He stated that he became confused during the last portion of the approach and was beginning a missed approach when the acft struck a tree and impacted the ground. The impact occurred 1/2 mile south of the approach end of runway 29.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1631E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271073
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- James E. Bechtel
- Registered owner
- James E. Bechtel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- ASW · Warsaw, IN
- Destination
- LTD · Litchfield, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ALN · Alton St Louis Regional, runway 29, 6,497 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 755 total · 450 in this make and model · 700 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ALN, 2 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.