Cessna 150 accident near Springfield, Illinois, August 9, 1983
On August 9, 1983 at about 11:41 pm local time, a Cessna 150, registered N3400V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Illinois (Capital airport). It was a personal 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
- August 9, 1983 · about 11:41 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Illinois · Capital · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N3400V · registry record · serial 15076490
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CORN FIELD AND NOSED DOWN AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED DURING FLT. DURING PRE-FLT THE PILOT HAD LOOKED IN THE TANKS AND MEASURED THE AMOUNT OF FUEL WITH THE TIE CAP CHAIN. HE THOUGHT HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT EVEN THOUGH THE GAUGES INSIDE THE ACFT REGISTERED ALMOST EMPTY. THE ACFT RAN OUT OF FUEL 5 MILES FROM THE ARPT DURING THE RETURN.
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: 56 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,213 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1818
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,298 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from SPI
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.