Mooney 20F accident near Lacon, Illinois, August 29, 1992
On August 29, 1992 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Mooney 20F, registered N3486N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lacon, Illinois (Marshall County airport). 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE RUNWAY HE SELECTED FOR LANDING WAS CLOSED. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S ANXIETY FOLLOWING THE NEAR-COLLISION, AND HIS LIMITED ABILITY TO DETECT THE ORANGE-COLORED MARKING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1992 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lacon, Illinois · Marshall County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney 20F
- Registration
- N3486N · registry record · serial 680068
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE PILOT NEARED THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING, HE MANEUVERED ABRUPTLY TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH A DEPARTING AIRPLANE. HE THEN EXECUTED AN APPROACH TO THAT RUNWAY BENEATH HIS WING. ON FINAL, HE OBSERVED THE RUNWAY TO BE BLACKTOP WITH NO MARKINGS. IN THE FLARE, HE OBSERVED THE RUNWAY DID NOT APPEAR TO BE FINISHED. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN A SOIL AREA RIPPING OFF THE GEAR. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD CHECKED THE NOTAMS AND WAS AWARE THAT THE N-S RUNWAY WAS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION. HE INDICATED THAT THE EARLIER NEAR-COLLISION HAD STARTLED HIM AND HE LANDED ON THE FIRST RUNWAY HE HAD IN SIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE CLOSED RUNWAY WAS MARKED BY A CROSS ON THE SOIL 50 FT BEYOND EACH END USING PERFORATED ORANGE PLASTIC COMMONLY USED FOR CONSTRUCTION BARRIERS. THE PILOT HAD A MEDICAL WAIVER FOR PARTIAL COLOR-BLINDNESS TO RED AND GREEN.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 432 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 365 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1992; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,740 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIA Peoria IL at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from SPI, 70 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 CHI92LA259.