Decatur Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Decatur, Illinois 62521
Wednesday, September 29, 2004 5:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was being operated as an on-demand commercial cargo flight when it impacted runway barricades and a rut during takeoff from a closed runway. The pilot attempted to perform a night takeoff on a runway which had its lights disabled and was barricaded. When the pilot saw the barricades, he attempted to go around them. The runway was listed as closed in the Notices to Airman, and recorded as such on the airport's automated surface observing system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation, and his subsequent selection of a runway for takeoff that was listed as out of service, resulting in a collision with barricades and uneven terrain during takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/2004
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 520
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Decatur
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62521
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395004N
Event Location Longitude 0885156W
Event Location Airport DECATUR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DEC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 682
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 54 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DEC
Elevation of weather observation facility 678
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.15
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21768
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Springfield FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N276PM
NTSB Number CHI04LA298
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 208B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 208B0074
Certified Max Gross Weight 8785
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 9507
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Planemasters, Ltd.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 32W611 Tower Road
Aircraft Owner City West Chicago
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60185
Operator is an individual? No
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 DPUA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DEC
Departure City Decatur
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UIN
Destination City QUINCY
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 29 2007 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5299
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --