Cessna T210N accident near Springfield, Illinois, January 1, 1989
On January 1, 1989 at about 11:58 pm local time, a Cessna T210N, registered N2305U, was destroyed in an accident near Springfield, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE DURING AN ILS APPROACH IN BELOW MINIMUM CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROCEED TO AN ALTERNATE DESTINATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1989 · about 11:58 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T210N · all T210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2305U · no longer on the register · serial 210647778
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 525 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GCK Garden City KS at 8:46 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 9 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.