Piper PA-24 accident near Champaign, Illinois, April 24, 1983
On April 24, 1983 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N9254P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Champaign, Illinois (Champaign 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1983 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Champaign, Illinois · Champaign
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N9254P · registry record · serial 24-4752
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE GEAR UP. INVESTIGATION REVEALED DURING A RETRACTION TEST, THAT NO MALFUNCTION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE WARNING THE HORN DID NOT OPERATE. WHEN THE COCKPIT WAS CHECKED PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF THE ACFT FROM THE RUNWAY THE LANDING GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED.
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: 500 hours in all; 253 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 241 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,235 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4AS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL at 4:35 pm
- Destination: CMI Champaigh IL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 4, 5,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI83LA182.