Cessna 140A accident near Urbana, Illinois, January 13, 2010
On January 13, 2010 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 140A, registered N5353C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Urbana, Illinois (Frasca Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 2010 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Urbana, Illinois · Frasca Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140A · all 140As on the register
- Registration
- N5353C · registry record · serial 15484
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the windsock indicated steady winds out of the south. The closest weather reporting station, 7 miles away, reported winds from 190 degrees at 13 knots. Shortly after the flight began its landing roll on runway 27, the airplane weathervaned due to a gust of wind. This moved the airplane to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot applied right rudder and the airplane continued down the runway, halfway between the centerline and the edge of the runway. The airplane weathervaned again, and the pilot applied power in an attempt to go around; however, the airplane contacted a snowbank on the left side of the runway and nosed over.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 314 hours in all; 51 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 251 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C16 Urbana IL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: C16 Urbana IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from CMI, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.