Accident Details
The pilot was attempting a night landing on a sod area adjacent to runway 36R at Southern Illinois Airport. The landing was intended to be on the sod area to the right side of the runway, but the aircraft touched down approximately 150 feet to the right of the sod area, in a cornfield. According to an almanac of sun data, the sun set at 1854 and the end of civil twilight was at 1920, indicating the accident occurred after dark.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that due to a ditch to the left and low light conditions, the approach was to the right of the center of the sod. The approach was approximately 35 yards too far to the right. When the ground became visible for landing, the tassels of the cornfield were mistaken for the grass runway. The pilot executed a normal three-point full stall landing onto the tops of the corn, proceeding for about 100 feet before a very slow pitch over onto the nose and back.
Airport Authority Context
The Southern Illinois Airport Authority (SIAA) had approved takeoff and landing operations on the sod area adjacent to runway 36R for two specific pilot/aircraft combinations. The memorandum of approval did not include any additional limitations or provisions, including any restriction on operations after civil twilight.
Post-Accident Changes
Subsequent to the accident, the SIAA mandated that all flight operations on the sod area would be conducted during daylight hours only.