Beech A36 accident near Matherville, Illinois, February 25, 1997
On February 25, 1997 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N18DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Matherville, Illinois. 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
a loss of engine as a result of the pilot-in-command's improper positioning of the fuel tank selector. A factor was the rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1997 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Matherville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N18DR · registry record · serial E-1228
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an engine-out emergency procedure, the pilot 'completed the checklist rapidly,' and continued to execute the forced-landing procedure. In the pilot's written statement he contested that he 'looking down, changed right to left tanks.' At 1000 feet AGL the CFI, 'elected to discontinue the maneuver,' and proceeded with a go-around. The engine did not recover from the idle position, and the pilot continued with the forced landing and proceeded to land the airplane, in a gear-up configuration, in a rough field. Postcrash investigation showed that the fuel selector was set in the 'Off' position.
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: 847 hours in all; 482 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: 3,612 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLI Moline IL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KML, 11 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI97LA077.