Piper PA-28-140 accident near Columbia, Illinois, June 23, 2007
On June 23, 2007 at about 6:53 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1768T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, Illinois (Sackman Field). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The certified flight instructor's (CFI's) inadequate preflight planning/preparation of a test altitude that would afford an on airport landing in the event of engine power loss. Additional causes were the CFI not flying a traffic pattern that would allow for an on airport landing should an engine power loss occur, the partial fuel system obstruction, and the inadequate maintenance by the mechanic. Contributing factors were the improperly serviced fuel selector and the low altitude at the time of engine power loss.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2007 · about 6:53 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, Illinois · Sackman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1768T · registry record · serial 28-7125087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain following a loss of engine power during a maintenance test flight with a company certified flight instructor (CFI) and mechanic. Earlier on the day of the accident, the airplane experienced a loss of engine power during an instructional flight. The student pilot switched fuel tanks, engine power was regained, and the airplane landed without further incident. Subsequent maintenance inspection revealed no fuel flow when fuel was drained through the gascolator with the right fuel tank selected. The mechanic inspected the airplane and called the CFI to perform a maintenance test flight in the airport traffic pattern. No anomalies were noted during the engine runup for the maintenance test flight. The test flight was planned to be conducted in the airport traffic pattern at traffic pattern altitude. The CFI reported that on the turn to base leg, she adjusted the throttle to 1,700 rpm, and the engine started to sputter and ran rough at an engine speed of 500 rpm. The CFI reported running the engine-out checklist by memory, but it did not accomplish an engine restart. The CFI decided the best option was to land in a cornfield to avoid trees and power lines. A postaccident investigation revealed that there were no detents evident in the fuel selector and that it was difficult to turn. The fuel selector did not possess safety wire on its mounting screws. The carburetor drain valve exhibited a brown colored material consistent with rust. The carburetor float had a green line around the float and rested above its minimum level. The green line was consistent with a reaction of the bronze float with water. The accelerator pump check valve was stuck and material consistent with water corrosion was noted within the accelerator pump. The bottom portion of the carburetor bowl contained a material consistent with rust and shiny gouges consistent with recent tooling marks adjacent to the area possessing rust at the bottom of the bowl. The airplane was operated without shoulder harnesses while providing rental/flight instruction.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command; 65 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,665.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2007; 63.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: St. Louis Sport Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: H49 Columbia IL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: H49
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,450 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CPS, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.