Cessna 320E accident near Springfield, Illinois, August 8, 1988
On August 8, 1988 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 320E, registered N222L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springfield, Illinois (Springfield). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- August 8, 1988 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Springfield, Illinois · Springfield
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320E · all 320Es on the register
- Registration
- N222L · registry record · serial 320E-0053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG A NIGHT ARRIVAL, THE PLT FAILED TO GET A DOWN & LOCKED INDCN FOR THE NOSE GEAR. HE MADE SVRL LOW PASSES OVER THE RWY FOR OBSERVATION. TOWER & FIRE/RESCUE PERSONNEL RPRTD THE NOSE GEAR APPEARED TO BE EXTENDED, SO THE PLT MADE A NORMAL LANDING. AS THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE RWY, IT COLLAPSED. DRG A POST-ACDNT EXAM, A MECHANIC NOTED THAT THE TORQUE TUBE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED. HE RPRTD THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS OUT OF RIG. ALSO, HE RPRTD THAT IN HIS OPINION, A 'PREVIOUS REPAIR WAS NOT OF A QUALITY THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE STRENGTH OF THE ORIGINAL FACTORY DESIGN' & WOULD NOT HOLD THE SUPPORT RIGID DURING LANDING GEAR CYCLING.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,088 hours in all; 376 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO
- Destination: SPI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 7,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 am from SPI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N222L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CHI88LA196.