Navion L-17A accident near Canton, Illinois, July 22, 2003
On July 22, 2003 at about 1:39 am local time, a Navion L-17A, registered N2968C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canton, Illinois (Ingersoll airport). It was a personal flight 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
A complete loss of engine power during landing approach for undetermined reasons, as well as the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing encountered by the pilot. Contributing factors were the berm and the crops.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2003 · about 1:39 am local time
- Place
- Canton, Illinois · Ingersoll · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Navion L-17A · all L-17As on the register
- Registration
- N2968C · registry record · serial NAV-4-1070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power. The pilot stated: "Boost pump was turned on [in preparation for landing]; engine immediately hesitated for 1-2 seconds and then failed (to windmill state)." The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were not successful. Unable to make the runway, the pilot decided to execute a forced landing straight ahead; approximately one-quarter mile from of the airport. The aircraft impacted a bean field and struck a berm, shearing off the landing gear. According to the pilot, approximately ten miles from the destination and prior to the engine failure, he switched from the main fuel tanks to the auxiliary fuel tank. He reported the "switch over was made using boost pump for approximately 30 seconds. Engine operation after switch over was smooth." He noted the elasped flight time at the time the tanks were changed was about 3 hours. The aircraft's main fuel tank capacity was 39-1/2 gallons and fuel burn rate was about 12 gallons per hour. A total of four gallons of fuel was recovered from the main fuel tanks. The auxiliary fuel tank was about half full. The fuel selector was set to the aux tank. A post-accident inspection of the engine revealed that when the electric fuel pump was activated, fuel was observed leaking from the carburetor. The carburetor was subsequently bench tested and torn down. Movement of the mixture control was "sluggish." Of the ten data points measured during the bench test, flow rates at two were determined to be slightly out of acceptable standards. All other test points measured within acceptable limits. No external leakage was observed. Upon teardown, the mixture control needle and spring were found to be covered with grease. According to the manufacturer, the anomalies noted during the carburetor exam would not be expected to significantly affect engine performance or contribute to the loss of power reported by the pilot. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Type Certificate Data Sheet for the L-17A, all auxiliary fuel tank installations are required to have a placard in clear view of the pilot restricting use of the aux tank to level flight only. A placard was not present in the aircraft when inspected after the accident.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,700 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2003; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DLZ Delaware OH at 10:15 pm
- Destination: CTK Canton IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 am from PIA, 18 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI03LA221.