Beech E-90 accident near Bloomington, Illinois, July 21, 2002
On July 21, 2002 at about 3:26 pm local time, a Beech E-90, registered N12KA, was destroyed in an accident near Bloomington, Illinois (Central Illinois Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The cause of the accident is undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2002 · about 3:26 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomington, Illinois · Central Illinois Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-90 · all E-90s on the register
- Registration
- N12KA · registry record · serial LW-41
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and post-impact fire when it impacted the terrain about 1/3 mile northeast of the departure end of runway 20 during takeoff. The airplane was cleared for a right turnout after takeoff, but witnesses observed the airplane climb to about 100 feet, veer left, enter a left bank, go inverted, and then impact the terrain in a nose low attitude. The airplane's left and right wings, fuselage, and cockpit were largely consumed by fire. Inspection of the airplane revealed the flaps and landing gear were retracted. There was aileron control continuity from the control yoke to the aileron bellcranks. There was elevator and rudder control cable continuity from the bellcranks at the forward bulkhead to the control surfaces. Inspections of the engines and propellers indicated the right engine and propeller was producing power in the middle to high power range at impact, and the left engine and propeller was producing power in the low to middle range of power at impact. The 60-year old pilot had flown 942 hours in the accident airplane, and was described as a very safety conscious, conservative pilot, who performed very thorough preflights and adhered to all checklists. The 22-year old pilot rated passenger had not received ground or flight instruction in the make and model of the accident airplane. The toxicology reports were negative for all substances tested. There were no remarkable findings in the autopsies.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,740 hours in all; 942 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 4, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,643 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 18, 2002; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BMI at 3:26 pm
- Destination: 3CU Cable Union WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from BMI, 1 miles away
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.
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.