Piper PA-36-285 accident near Mt. Carmel, Illinois, July 5, 1985
On July 5, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-285, registered N9909P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Carmel, Illinois (Beckerman airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- July 5, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Carmel, Illinois · Beckerman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-285 · all PA-36-285s on the register
- Registration
- N9909P · no longer on the register · serial 36750017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HIS ACFT WAS LOADED WITH DRY FERTILIZER.FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM THE SOD STRIP HE FAILED TO CLEAR A DIRT BANK AT THE SOUTH END OF THE AIRSTRIP. AFTER STRIKING THE DIRT BANK HE IMPACTED IN A CORNFIELD NOSE DOWN. FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT THE PLT STATED TO AN FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTOR THAT HE WAS OVERGROSSED FOR THE FLD CONDITIONS OF THAT DAY. THE PLT'S ESTIMATE OF THE AIR TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 93 DEGS F.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,250 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1985; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TIARA 6-285 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from HUF, 70 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.