Piper PA-24 accident near Buffalo Grove, Illinois, October 29, 2004
On October 29, 2004, a Piper PA-24, registered N6764P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buffalo Grove, Illinois (Palwaukee Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue fracture of the engine crankshaft during initial climb after takeoff resulting in a complete loss of engine power. Contributing factors were the trees and the highway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2004
- Place
- Buffalo Grove, Illinois · Palwaukee Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N6764P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1894
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power during initial climb after takeoff. The pilot reported that approximately 10 minutes after takeoff, when the flight was about 3,000 feet mean sea level, he heard a "loud bang followed by extreme vibrations of the aircraft." The pilot executed a forced landing on a four-lane highway about 4 miles north of the departure airport. He noted, "While flaring to land a car turned in front of me. I avoided the car, however, the left wing started clipping trees." The airplane came to rest on the highway median. A post-accident inspection of the engine determined that the crankshaft had failed aft of the number 2 main bearing journal. Metallurgical examination of the crankshaft fracture surface revealed crack arrest marking (beach marks) indicative of fatigue cracking. Fatigue initiation was at the surface of the main bearing journal slightly forward of the aft radius. The adjacent journal surface was roughened and discolored with multiple longitudinally oriented parallel cracks (ladder cracks) in the surface. Magnified examination found that the fatigue fracture originated at one of the ladder cracks and grew aft through about 75 percent of the crank cheek before the crankshaft failed. The other journals showed some circumferential scratches and light wear. However, none showed the high level of surface damage exhibited by the fractured main journal. According to the maintenance logbook, the engine had accumulated 3,109.8 hours total time and 876.8 hours since overhaul.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,395 hours in all; 2,515 in this make and model; 154 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 5,245 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,495 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 2004; 244 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWK Wheeling IL at 11:50 pm
- Destination: EVV Evansville IN
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 1:11 am from PWK, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.