Piper PA-28-161 accident near Bethany, Illinois, September 26, 1983
On September 26, 1983 at about 1:55 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8236U, was destroyed in an accident near Bethany, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1983 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- Bethany, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8236U · registry record · serial 28-8016360
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THIS FLT, THE PLT HAD CONTACTED A FSS & INQUIRED ABOUT THE WX. HE WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT TO TERRE HAUTE, IN, WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE TOOK OFF AT ABOUT 1830 CDT. THE PLT AGAIN CONTACTED THE FSS & INQUIRED ABOUT THE WX AT BURLINGTON, IA & SPRINGFIELD, IL (A PROBABLE ROUTE TO AVOID CONGESTED TRAFFIC IN THE CHICAGO, IL AREA). REPORTEDLY, THE WX IN THE BURLINGTON AREA WAS ACCEPTABLE, BUT THE PLT WAS AGAIN ADVISED THAT FLT TO TERRA HAUTE WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THIS WAS THE LAST KNOWN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE ACFT. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT. ONE WITNESS HEARD THE ENG 'REV UP' & THEN SAW A BLINKING LIGHT, JUST BEFORE THE PLANE CRASHED. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE ACFT HAD SEPARATED IN FLT. THE R STABILIZER, LOWER HALF OF THE TAIL CONE, FORWARD SECTION OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, L FLAP & L WING WERE FOUND ABOUT 1 TO 1 1/2 MI FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. NO PRE-ACCIDENT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PLT HAD LOGGED 1 HR OF NIGHT TIME IN THE PRECEEDING 90 DAYS, BUT HAD NOT LOGGED NGT LNDGS DRG THAT TIME.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 170 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 135 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 886 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1983; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OK9 Oelwein IA
- Destination: HUF Terre Haute IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from DEC, 14 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.