Ryan NAVION accident near Lane, Illinois, November 14, 1988
On November 14, 1988 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION, registered N91411, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lane, Illinois (Martin 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1988 · about 7:40 pm local time · cases in 1988
- Place
- Lane, Illinois · Martin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N91411 · registry record · serial NAV-4-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRPLANE LANDED IN A PLOWED FIELD AFTER LOSING POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THE FLIGHT PURPOSE WAS TO ACCOMPLISH A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. THE LANDING GEAR FAILED AFTER DIGGING INTO THE SOFT DIRT OF THE PLOWED FIELD. DURING THE INVESTIGATION THE ACFT OWNER SAID THAT THE ACFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THE FUEL ON BOARD HAD BEEN LOW FOR THE STATIC PERIOD. THE POWERPLANT HAD NO DISCREPANCIES EXCEPT WATER IN THE FUEL LINE AND THE CARBURETOR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 18,800 as pilot in command; 16,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from SPI, 40 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N91411 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Ryan NAVION 171 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Ryan 368 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental E-185-3 1,108 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Illinois 2,118 since 1982 · 251 in the last ten years
- Illinois 8,070 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI89DEV03.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.