Cessna 182 accident near Odell, Illinois, February 19, 1996
On February 19, 1996 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N3243Y, was destroyed in an accident near Odell, 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
VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and subsequent loss of aircraft control, probably due to spatial disorientation of the pilot. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, reduced visibility due to the weather condition (snow), and the pilot's lack of instrument experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1996 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Odell, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N3243Y · no longer on the register · serial 18254243
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a preflight weather briefing for a cross-country flight at night, the noninstrument-rated pilot was advised by the briefer that 'VFR flight not recommended,' but the pilot elected to proceed on the flight. There was evidence that during the flight, he encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Low visibility and snow showers were reported in the vicinity of the accident site. Subsequently, the airplane crashed. Crush areas on the fuselage indicated the airplane was in about a 30 degree left bank, nose low attitude, during impact. The main wreckage came to rest about 150 yards from the initial impact point. There were no known witnesses to the accident; the wreckage was discovered the next morning by a local resident. No preimpact mechanical malfunction of the aircraft or engine was found during examination of the wreckage. During a pathological examination, the medical examiner noted that 'an area of the (pilot's) heart was hyperemic, grossly, and showed ischemic change with coagulation necrosis by microscopic study.' However, there was no verification that the pilot had experienced a heart attack.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 111 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMI Bloomington IL
- Destination: PWK Wheeling IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.