Univ Of Ill-Willard Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Savoy, Illinois 61874
Saturday, November 12, 1994 18:57 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LOCAL CONTROLLER STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TAKE OFF FROM RUNWAY 14R AND '...ENTER THE BASES OF THE CLOUDS....' THE AIRPLANE THEN CRASHED INTO TREES 1/4 MILE OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREEXISTING ANOMALIES. LOCAL PILOTS WHO USE THE AIRPORT ON A REGULAR BASIS STATED THAT DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 14R DURING PERIODS OF DARKNESS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY PROVIDES THE PILOT WITH LITTLE OR NO VISUAL CUES IN THE INITIAL CLIMB ATTITUDE; THERE ARE SCANT SOURCES OF LIGHT ONCE THE AIRPLANE REACHES THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED AN INSTRUMENT COMPETENCY CHECK THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT IN A FIXED INSTRUMENT SIMULATOR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB DURING THE NIGHT TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LACK OF VISUAL CUES, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/12/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1857
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SAVOY
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61874
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport UNIV OF ILL-WILLARD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CMI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 135
Airport Elevation 754
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by briefer
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1900 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID CMI
Elevation of weather observation facility 754
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2086
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4895K
NTSB Number CHI95FA041
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier P210N
Aircraft Serial Number P210-00357
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 18 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3542
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LANNON, JOHN J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9 S 285 CHANDELLE
Aircraft Owner City NAPERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60504
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 CMI
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1857
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LL10
Destination City NAPERVILLE
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 14R
Runway Length 8100
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --