Amateur-built CIRCA-NIEUPORT 12 accident near Peotone, Illinois, July 16, 2000
On July 16, 2000 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built CIRCA-NIEUPORT 12, registered N317LS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peotone, Illinois. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the carburetor icing conditions and the fact that the aircraft was not equipped with carburetor heat protection. A factor to the accident was the crops.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2000 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Peotone, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CIRCA-NIEUPORT 12 CIRCA-NIEU
- Registration
- N317LS · registry record · serial 0079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a statement by the pilot, 'Departed runway 27 for general test flight. Made several circuits of the pattern. Left the pattern to climb up higher. Upon turning to return to the airport I experienced a partial loss of power. Unable to hold altitude and attempting to get back to the approach end of 27, I landed in a corn field.' Using the Midway Airport temperature of 72 degrees and a dew point of 68, the aircraft was flying in the possibility of 'serious icing' on the Icing Probability Chart. A post accident investigation found that the aircraft had no provisions for the removal of carburetor ice. The pilot indicated that he had two hours in the accident aircraft's make and model.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 2 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Yamaha 1100 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Peotone IL at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MDW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.