Cessna 150J accident near Springfield, Illinois, October 19, 1987
On October 19, 1987 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N60481, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Illinois (Capital airport). It was an instructional 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 19, 1987 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Illinois · Capital · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N60481 · no longer on the register · serial 15070343
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAXIING BACK TO THE PARKING RAMP, AFTER A SHORT INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WERE LOOKING AHEAD INTO THE PARKING AREA FOR A VACANT PARKING PLACE. WHILE THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR A PLACE TO PARK, THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A PARKED FUEL TRUCK, CAUSING THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT TO SWING AROUND AND HIT THE FUEL TRUCK WITH THE PROPELLER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 775 hours in all; 674 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 634 as pilot in command; 656 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,018 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPI Springfield IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,298 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,500 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from SPI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.