North American T-28B accident near Kankakee, Illinois, April 15, 2000
On April 15, 2000 at about 3:30 pm local time, a North American T-28B, registered N82AW, was destroyed in an accident near Kankakee, Illinois (Greater Kankakee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the misjudged glidepath by the pilot. Factors were the failure of the impeller seal resulting in a total loss of engine oil and subsequent engine failure, the plowed farm field, and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2000 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kankakee, Illinois · Greater Kankakee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-28B · all T-28Bs on the register
- Registration
- N82AW · registry record · serial 138172
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that after leveling off at 9,500 feet he noticed abnormal oil pressure readings. The pilot elected to land the airplane, but before a landing could be accomplished, the oil pressure dropped and the engine subsequently failed. The pilot declared an emergency and requested and received vectors to an airport. The pilot said, 'at five miles I had the airport in sight and knew instantly I was way too high for the southeast runway. ... I was still high and lowered the gear with the full intention of making the hard surface runway.' The pilot reported that during the descent, the engine was vibrating violently and that the '...descent rate became excessively high.' The aircraft landed in a plowed farm field about 1 mile north of the airport. According to a written report, a postaccident examination of the engine revealed '...evidence of engine oil venting through the breather vent on the left side of the fuselage immediately aft of the engine cowl.' The report also states that the intake tubes for cylinders number 7 and 8 '...contained a large amount of oil. The impeller section of the engine was wet with oil. This would indicate the loss of impeller seal between this section and the power section of the engine.' The report also states that only the number 1 piston, which contains the master connecting rod, would move consistent with propeller movement.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,404 hours in all; 1,536 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 14,321 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,132 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 2000; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820-86B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 06C Schaumburg IL at 3:03 pm
- Destination: RZT Chillicothe OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MDW, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.