Mooney 20K accident near Crestwood, Illinois, August 14, 1987
On August 14, 1987 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Mooney 20K, registered N10816, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crestwood, Illinois (Howell airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- August 14, 1987 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crestwood, Illinois · Howell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mooney 20K
- Registration
- N10816 · registry record · serial 250581
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON ARRIVAL AT HOWELL AIRPORT THE PILOT SET UP A CLOSE APPROACH FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 36 BECAUSE OF DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET CURRENT WIND CONDITIONS AT THE AIRPORT FROM UNICOM BUT DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH. DURING THE LANDING FLARE THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT 'FAILED' TO LOSE AIRSPEED AND CONTINUED TO FLY. THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO RETRACT THE FLAPS BUT THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED AIRBORNE. THE PILOT THEN ADDED FULL POWER FOR A GO-AROUND, SIGHTED TREES LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE AND STALLED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE TREES. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM THE SOUTH AT 12 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 15 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,950 hours in all; 1,950 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 1,890 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1987; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-LB1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kemas Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: BNA Nashville TN at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 3HW
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 2,598 ft by 29 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:25 pm from MDW, 8 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI87LA213.