Piper PA-24-180 accident near Lacon, Illinois, December 11, 1982
On December 11, 1982 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N77340, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lacon, Illinois (Marshall CO. airport). It was a personal flight 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 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
- December 11, 1982 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lacon, Illinois · Marshall CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N77340 · registry record · serial 24-2948
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A NORMAL LIFTOFF TO PATTERN ALTITUDE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS AND BACKFIRE. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT PERFORMED A THOROUGH MAGNETO CHECK FINDING NO UNUSUAL INDICATIONS. THE PILOT TOOKOFF AND AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FT THE ENGINE BACK TO MISS AND LOST POWER. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE IN A CORN FIELD, 1/4 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT.INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OF FAILURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 1,045 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 147 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 322 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Aurora IL at 1:53 am
- Destination: C Lacon IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.