Cessna 152 accident near Mattoon, Illinois, January 10, 2001
On January 10, 2001 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5394Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mattoon, Illinois (Coles County Memorial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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. Factors were the crosswind, the pilots lack of total experience, and the snow covered terrain adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2001 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mattoon, Illinois · Coles County Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5394Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the take off portion of a touch-and-go, the aircraft departed the left side of the runway and the nose gear collapsed as the aircraft traveled through the snow adjacent to the runway. The student pilot said that he had been practicing maneuvers and returned to the airport to land. The pilot said that the first landing after returning, was, "...somewhat rough...." The pilot said, "After landing I felt that conditions were too windy for flying without an instructor, however the hobbs time indicated that I still had time for a few more touch-n-go's so I went ahead and flew 2 more." The pilot said that after the third landing, the aircraft was slightly off centerline and he corrected and applied full power for takeoff. At this time, the aircraft turned left and the pilot attempted to correct, "...but it wouldn't correct. I froze at the controls and the airplane veered to the left side of the runway, hit the snow and stopped suddenly." No preexisting anomalies were detected with respect to the aircraft and the pilot reported none. The student pilot listed his total flight experience as 18.7 hours with 2.4 hours as pilot in command. The winds at the airport were 200 degrees magnetic at 12 knots and the pilot was taking off on runway 24.
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: student
- Flight time: 19 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,273 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 2000; 42.5 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Central Illinois Air Corp.
The flight
- Departed from: MTO Mattoon IL at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,799 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from MTO
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.