Beech BE-19-180 accident near Champaign, Illinois, April 22, 1983
On April 22, 1983 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Beech BE-19-180, registered N5101R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Champaign, Illinois (Champaign 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1983 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Champaign, Illinois · Champaign · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-19-180
- Registration
- N5101R · registry record · serial MB 635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DRIFTED ACROSS THE RUNWAY IN A CROSSWIND AND COLLIDED WITH A RUNWAY LIGHT. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD TAKEN OFF ON RUNWAY 22 FOR HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT. THE TOWER CHANGED RUNWAYS ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND MADE 04 THE ACTIVE. THE WIND WAS 150 DEGREES AT 8 KTS.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 19 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,165 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-44J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMI Champaign IL at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; not recorded at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.