Piper PA-44-180 accident near Lockport, Illinois, June 29, 1983
On June 29, 1983 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N181AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lockport, Illinois (Lockport 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
- June 29, 1983 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lockport, Illinois · Lockport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N181AA · registry record · serial 44-7995024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED A COMPANY ACFT LANDED 2-5 MIN AHEAD OF HIM ON RWY 9 WITH LIGHT WINDS OUT OF THE EAST. PRIOR TO PATTERN ENTRY THE PLT NOTICED DARK CLOUDS TO THE WEST WITH RAIN. AFTER LANDING HE COULD NOT STOP THE ACFT & WENT OFF THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT GROUNDLOOPED & ALL THREE GEAR COLLAPSED. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, OBSERVERS ON THE GROUND NOTED A 180 DEG WING SHIFT & A WIND VELOCITY INCREASE TO 20-30 KTS WHILE THE PLT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 599 hours in all; 328 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 484 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Downers Grove IL at 10:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 255° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.