Piper PA-28-181 accident near Pinckneyville, Illinois, September 14, 2011
On September 14, 2011 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N9513C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pinckneyville, Illinois (Lambert Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to conduct a go-around due to his excessive airspeed while on approach to land, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2011 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pinckneyville, Illinois · Lambert Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N9513C · registry record · serial 28-7890418
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a cross-country flight and diverted to an alternate airport due to deteriorating weather conditions. The pilot reported that his airspeed on approach was too fast for the conditions, but he continued with the landing on the wet, short, turf runway. The airplane departed the runway and impacted a barbed wire fence, where it sustained substantial damage to its wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,800 hours in all; 3,750 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 9,550 as pilot in command; 2,100 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,978 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Agri Business Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: PAH Paducah KY at 6:15 pm
- Destination: SAR Sparta IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 1,800 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from SAR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.