- Date
- January 18, 1988, 17:39 local (23:39 UTC)
- Place
- Carbondale, IL
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N40265Piper PA-23-250
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 15, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880118000589A
- Case key
- 13929
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
Shortly after reporting the outer marker while executing an ILS runway 18 approach in actual instrument meteorological conditions, the aircraft deviated left of the localizer centerline. At a position approximately 1/2 mile outside the middle marker and about 1/4 mile left of the localizer centerline, the aircraft descended into a wooded area on an easterly heading. The aircraft impacted the trees and then the terrain in a slightly left bank and slightly nose low attitude. Engine examination and teardown revealed no evidence of pre-impact malfunction. A flight check of the ILS runway 18 was performed the next day and indicated the system was functioning normally. Inspection of the aircraft instruments did not disclose any malfunctions. The pilot was in contact with ATC and did not report any problems before the impact occurred. All pilot and aircraft records were destroyed by post-impact fire. Pilot's total instrument flying experience was not determined; obtained instrument rating 1/3/87.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40265
- Reported as
- Piper PA-23-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 277305078
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mcclure Construction
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 14, 1987
- Departed
- IKK · Kankakee, IL
- Destination
- MDH · Carbondale, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MDH · Southern Illinois, runway 18, 5,801 × 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
- 21
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 355 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 110° at 13 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 300 ft
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MDH, 1 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.