Piper PA-30 accident near Dongola, Illinois, May 11, 2006
On May 11, 2006 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8585Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dongola, Illinois. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's intentional maneuver to avoid obstructions at the end of the runway which resulted in the airplane impacting a ditch. The wet grass runway and the ditch were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2006 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Dongola, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8585Y · registry record · serial 30-1738
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was damaged when it ran off of a grass runway at the private airstrip. The pilot reported that upon arrival at his destination, the winds were strong and out of the north. He stated that he decided to land into the wind even though the runway sloped downhill in this direction. He stated that he performed a slow approach in landing configuration and then went around to execute the landing. He stated that the touchdown was normal and that there was intermittent braking for 1,500 feet. He stated that the braking action was "almost impossible" due to the wet grass runway. He stated that he veered the airplane to the left and off of the runway in order to avoid tree stumps at the departure end. The pilot listed runway 35 length as 2,000 feet and width as 75 feet. The pilot listed no mechanical problems with the airplane. The airplane contacted a ditch along the side of the runway.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,855 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 6,692 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EYE Indianapolis IN at 9:15 pm
- Destination: Dongola IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.