Aircraft nosed over during landing attempt in soybean field

Casualties unknown • Atwood, IL, US

A pilot mistakenly attempted to land a small aircraft in a soybean field after misidentifying it as a grass runway, resulting in a nose-over accident.

What happened

During a flight near the accident location, the pilot of the aircraft was flying a traffic pattern and mistakenly identified a soybean field as the grass runway for IL31. The pilot did not realize the error until the aircraft made contact with the soybean crop just before touchdown. Believing it was too late to execute a go-around, the pilot attempted to complete the landing. During this maneuver, the airplane nosed over in the field.

Findings

The pilot was experiencing fatigue during the flight, which likely contributed to the misidentification of the landing area.
The accident could have been prevented had the pilot verified the runway location while performing the traffic pattern.

Probable cause

The pilot's fatigue led to the misidentification of a soybean field as a grass runway, and the subsequent decision to attempt a landing rather than performing a go-around resulted in the aircraft nosed over.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 2003-09-08 Piper PA-22 accident near Atwood, IL?

A pilot mistakenly attempted to land a small aircraft in a soybean field after misidentifying it as a grass runway, resulting in a nose-over accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2003-09-08 involved a Piper PA-22, registration N615A, at Atwood, IL.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot's fatigue led to the misidentification of a soybean field as a grass runway, and the subsequent decision to attempt a landing rather than performing a go-around resulted in the aircraft nosed over.

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