Cessna 170A accident near Murphysboro, Illinois, October 19, 1985
On October 19, 1985 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 170A, registered N9271A, was destroyed in an accident near Murphysboro, 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
- October 19, 1985 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Murphysboro, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170A · all 170As on the register
- Registration
- N9271A · no longer on the register · serial 19032
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF IN MARGINAL VMC IN AN ACFT PLACARDED FOR 'DAY VFR ONLY'. APRX 32 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT. A HUNTER IN THE LOCAL AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED HEARING THE ACFT ENG SOUND CHANGE AS IF THE ACFT WERE TURNING. HE STATED HE COULD NOT SEE THE ACFT BECAUSE OF LOW CLOUDS, POOR VISIBILITY AND HEAVY RAIN.
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
- Flight time: 2,687 hours in all; 2,197 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDH Carbondale IL at 11:08 pm
- Destination: Stuttgart AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from MDH, 12 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.