Beech A23 accident near Plato Center, Illinois, November 17, 1984
On November 17, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Beech A23, registered N1407L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plato Center, Illinois (Olson Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- November 17, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Plato Center, Illinois · Olson Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N1407L · no longer on the register · serial M-796
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FINAL APPROACH WITH A 30-DEGREE RIGHT CROSSWIND OF 14-16 KTS, THE PLT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF HEADWIND COMPONENT AS THEACFT PASSED BELOW HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS IN THE WINDSTREAM. POWER WAS NOT ADDED AND THE ACFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE RIGHT LNDG GEAR ENCOUNTERED A DITCH CAUSING THE ACFT TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED UNDER THE IMPOSED SIDE LOAD.
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
- Flight time: 278 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 152 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 8, 1985; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental I0-346-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL at 7:35 pm
- Destination: LL53 Plato Center IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DPA, 12 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.