Beech 3NM accident near Cahokia, Illinois, June 16, 1987
On June 16, 1987 at about 8:42 pm local time, a Beech 3NM, registered N37CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cahokia, Illinois (St. Louis Dtn-Parks Arpt airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1987 · about 8:42 pm local time
- Place
- Cahokia, Illinois · St. Louis Dtn-Parks Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 3NM · all 3NMs on the register
- Registration
- N37CB · registry record · serial CA235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF PWR IN THE RT ENG IMMEDIATELY AFT TKOF. THE PLT WAS NOT ABLE TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A WHEAT FIELD ON ARPT PROPERTY. CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RT PROPELLER HUB WAS IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PROPELLER TO FEATHER. IN ADDITION, THE RT CARBURETOR HEAT SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE BECAUSE THE DUCTS THAT CONNECT THE MANIFOLD HEAT MUFFS TO THE CARBURETOR AIR BOX WERE MISSING.
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: 6,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,486 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 1987; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rhoades Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CPS Cahokia IL at 8:41 pm
- Destination: SER Seymour IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30L, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:47 pm from CPS, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI87DCA01.