Cessna 170A accident near Olney, Illinois, July 16, 1985
On July 16, 1985 at about 12:56 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N1223D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olney, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- July 16, 1985 · about 12:56 pm local time
- Place
- Olney, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N1223D · no longer on the register · serial 20113
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NEW BADEN AND BEGAN FLYING ERRATICALLY DOWN AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. IT CAUSED ONE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT BY FLYING LOW HEAD-ON PASSES AT CARS. IT FLEW UNDERAN OVERPASS, DAMAGING A WINGTIP IN THE PROCESS. IT FLEW INTOAN ELECTRICAL CABLE AND DAMAGED THE VERTICAL STABILIZED IN THE PROCESS. THE PILOT BUZZED A TRUCK. MADE TWO SHARP TURNS AT LOW ALTITUDE. DURING THE SECOND TURN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP 190 FEET LATER. THE PILOT WAS EJECTED FROM THE COCKPIT AND LATERDIED. HIS SEAT BELT WAS NOT FASTENED DURING THE CRASH. AFTERTHE CRASH HIS FAMILY DESCRIBED HIM AS A PARANOID PSYCHOTIC AND HIS FRIENDS STATED THAT HE WAS DEPRESSED. IN A FINAL INTERVIEW BEFORE HE DIED HE REPEATEDLY MENTIONED ANIMOSITY TOWARD GRAVEL TRUCKS.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 436 hours in all; 164 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 352 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: New Baden IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from EVV, 58 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.
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.