Dupage Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saint Charles, Illinois 60174
Friday, June 16, 1989 15:16 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TAXIED AND TOOK OFF WITHOUT DIFFICULTY, BUT NOTICED A GRADUAL LOSS OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE AS HE WAS PREPARING TO RETRACT THE GEAR. HE LANDED IN A NEARBY FIELD WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT DURING ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A DITCH, DRIVING THE RIGHT GEAR THROUGH THE WING SURFACE. INSPECTION REVEALED THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR HAD BROKEN FREE AND WAS SUCKED DOWN THE INTAKE TO THE FUEL CONTROLLER, RESTRICTING THE AIR FLOW. ONLY TWO HOURS HAD ELAPSED SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE MECHANIC TO PROPERLY INSPECT THE ALTERNATE AIR DOOR DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION. THIS FAILURE LED TO AIR STARVATION, LOSS OF POWER, AND A FORCED LANDING BY THE PILOT ONTO ROUGH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1516
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SAINT CHARLES
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60174
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DUPAGE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1522 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 758
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2255
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1626
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42015
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5242T
NTSB Number CHI89FA109
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7235203
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 5 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 4483
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J. R. MCCAUSLAND/K. A. LARSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 415 8TH COURT
Aircraft Owner City ST. CHARLES
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60174
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DPA
Departure City WEST CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3KM
Destination City WICHITA
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --