Cessna 182 accident near Taylorville, Illinois, July 4, 2001
On July 4, 2001 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N5142D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taylorville, Illinois. It was a skydiving 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 improper procedure and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. Additional factors included the carburetor icing and the corn crop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2001 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Taylorville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N5142D · no longer on the register · serial 51242
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over in a cornfield during a forced landing after a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported he released the parachutists at 10,100 feet msl over the drop zone and started the descent to the south due to better cloud clearances and to keep clear of company traffic. He reported that he applied carburetor heat before descending. At 3,000 - 4,000 feet msl, he applied throttle but there was no engine response. The pilot attempted the engine re-start procedures but without result. The pilot made a forced landing on a cornfield, and nosed over almost immediately after the main landing gear hit the ground. The airplane and engine examination revealed no preexisting anomalies. The engine was run and it ran normally except for some minor vibration. The vibration was attributed to both propeller blades being bent aft. The observed weather was: winds 360 degrees at 8 knots, sky clear, 10 miles visibility, temperature 86 degrees F, dewpoint 66 degrees F, altimeter 30.02. According to the Transport Canada "Carburetor Icing Graph", the existing weather conditions fell in the region of "Serious icing - descent power." The FAA issued Advisory Circular (AC) 20-113, "Pilot Precautions and Procedures To Be Taken In Preventing Aircraft Reciprocating Engine Induction System and Fuel System Icing Problems." The AC stated, "…the pilot should regularly use heat under conditions known to be conducive to atmospheric icing…" in order to prevent accidents due to induction system icing. One of the procedures to reduce the likelihood of induction system icing stated, "Heat should be applied for a short time to warm the induction system before beginning a prolonged descent with the engine throttled and left on during the descent. Power lever advancement should be performed periodically during descent to assure that power recovery can be achieved."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 327 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 257 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 2, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mid-American Sport Parachute Club, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: TAZ Taylorville IL at 7:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from DEC, 30 miles away
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.