Piper PA-28-181 accident near Grayslake, Illinois, November 17, 1982
On November 17, 1982 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8259M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grayslake, Illinois (Campbell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- November 17, 1982 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grayslake, Illinois · Campbell
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8259M · no longer on the register · serial 28-8190023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PILOT LANDED ON RUNWAY 24 WITH A LEFT QUARTERING, GUSTY HEAD WIND AT 8 TO 10 KTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY VEERED LEFT AND WENT OFF THE RUNWAY. AFTER DEPARTING THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH/BANK AND THE NOSE GEAR FAILED. THE PILOT SUSPECTED THAT THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAILED OR MALFUNCTIONED. HOWEVER, A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE NOSE GEAR AND THE STEERING SYSTEM AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION.
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: 86 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 46 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 720 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cardinal Aircraft Service
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Minneapolis MN at 1:35 pm
- Destination: 2SG Saginaw MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,278 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from ORD, 25 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.
Other NTSB records under N8259M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.