Rockwell 112 accident near Pekin, Illinois, November 21, 1985
On November 21, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Rockwell 112, registered N10285, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pekin, Illinois (Pekin Municipal Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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
- November 21, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pekin, Illinois · Pekin Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112
- Registration
- N10285 · no longer on the register · serial 28
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A TOP OVERHAUL OF THE ENGINE A TEST FLIGHT WAS PLANNED TO BREAK IN THE CYLINDERS AND RINGS. PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED FOR A SHORT PERIOD ON THE GROUND THEN SHUT DOWN AND CHECKED FOR OIL LEAKS WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. THE TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB WERE UNEVENTFUL. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELOFF THE PROP SURGED MOMENTARILY AND ENGINE PERFORMANCE DETERIORATED RAPIDLY. THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND ENTERED THE VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN ON DOWNWIND. HE LOWERED THE GEAR AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT A 'B' NUT ON THE PORP GOVERNOR LINE HAD BACKED OFF, ALLOWING MOST OF THE OIL TO DRAIN OUT, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 708 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 494 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,283 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1984; 129 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 080° at 15 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,500 ft; scat
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.