Amateur-built B75N1 accident near Carbondale, Illinois, September 23, 2001
On September 23, 2001, a amateur-built B75N1, registered N47964, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carbondale, Illinois (Southern Illinois Airport). 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 misjudged the proper alignment with the landing area. Contributing to the accident was the light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2001
- Place
- Carbondale, Illinois · Southern Illinois Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built B75N1
- Registration
- N47964 · registry record · serial 75-7540
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting a night landing on a sod area to the right side of the runway and landed approximately 150 feet to the right of the sod area in a cornfield. The pilot reported, "Because of ditch to left and low light conditions approach was to right of center of sod. Approach was 35 yards too far to right and when ground was in sight for landing, the tassels of a cornfield were mistaken for grass runway. A normal 3 point full stall landing was made to the tops of corn, proceeding for 100 feet and a very slow pitch over onto nose and back." According to an almanac of sun data, the sun set at 1854 and the end of civil twilight was at 1920. The Southern Illinois Airport Authority (SIAA) approved takeoff and landing operations on the sod area adjacent to runway 36R for two specific pilot/aircraft combinations. The memorandum did not have any additional limitations or provisions, including the restriction of operations after civil twilight. Subsequent to the accident, the SIAA mandated that all flight operations on the sod area would be during daylight hours only.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,102 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 943 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 27, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,258 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2001; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2H0 Shelbyville IL
- Destination: MDH Carbondale IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N47964 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.