Cessna 337G accident near Peoria, Illinois, February 9, 1985
On February 9, 1985 at about 7:12 pm local time, a Cessna 337G, registered N1894M, was destroyed in an accident near Peoria, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- February 9, 1985 · about 7:12 pm local time
- Place
- Peoria, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337G · all 337Gs on the register
- Registration
- N1894M · no longer on the register · serial 337-01494
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED IN AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG AFTER THE REAR ENG QUIT AT ABOUT 350 FT AGL. THE PLT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT FEATHER THE PROP ON THE REAR ENG WHICH HAD STOPPED. SINCE THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND OFF THE ARPT. THE POST ACC EXAM DISCLOSED INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE REAR ENG. #6 ROD HAD PENETRATED THE ENG CASING. THE PLTS STATEMENT EXPLAINED THAT THE PLT HAD A CHOICE OF COLLIDING WITH HOUSES, STALL/SPINNING, OR LANDING IN TREES. HE ELECTED TO TRY THE TREES.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,941 hours in all; 1,865 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 2,848 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,025 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 8, 1984; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIA at 7:10 pm
- Destination: MSN Madison WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:28 pm from PIA, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.