Olson Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plato Center, Illinois 60170
Sunday, August 28, 1994 16:32 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF FROM A 2400 FOOT RUNWAY WITH 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS. THE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE WITH 30 GALLONS FUEL AND 4 OCCUPANTS WAS ESTIMATED AT 2540 POUNDS. THE MAXIMUM CERTIFIED WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE WAS 2400 POUNDS. THE CALCULATED TAKEOFF DISTANCE FOR THE CONDITIONS WAS 1860 FEET AT 2400 POUNDS WITH A FLAP SETTING OF 10 DEGREES. THE PILOT HANDBOOK RECOMMENDS A 10 DEGREE FLAP SETTING FOR SHORT FIELD TAKEOFFS AND THAT FLAP SETTINGS GREATER THAN 10 DEGREES ARE NOT APPROVED FOR TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. POST-CRASH OPERATION OF THE ENGINE AT FULL THROTTLE RESULTED IN 2200 RPM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF ON A SHORT RUNWAY WITH A GROSS WEIGHT WHICH EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WEIGHT AND AN IMPROPER FLAP SETTING. A FACTOR WAS THE LOCATION OF OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1632
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PLATO CENTER
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60170
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OLSON FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LL53
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation 955
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 780
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1209
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 28 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2021
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N97618
NTSB Number CHI94LA289
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 1727617
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 6 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 4625
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN C FINI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1437 CHATHAM LANE
Aircraft Owner City SCHAUMBURG
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60193
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1631
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 0GC
Destination City SCHAUMBURG
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --