Cessna 120 accident near Decatur, Illinois, October 22, 1986
On October 22, 1986 at about 6:55 pm local time, a Cessna 120, registered N2896N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Illinois (Decatur Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- October 22, 1986 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Illinois · Decatur Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 120 · all 120s on the register
- Registration
- N2896N · registry record · serial 13157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS PRACTICING CROSSWIND LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 24 WHEN THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED TWICE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE IMMEDIATELY ADDED POWER AND THEN LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT. FOLLOWING THE GROUND LOOP, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND RAN OFF THE RUNWAY. FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER, THE DECATUR FSS REPORTED WINDS FROM 210 DEGREES AT 14 KNOTS.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,094 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 994 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,255 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 30, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,497 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from DEC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.