Piper PA 28-180 accident near Chandlerville, Illinois, July 10, 1983
On July 10, 1983 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA 28-180, registered N6952J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandlerville, Illinois (Bell 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
- July 10, 1983 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chandlerville, Illinois · Bell
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-180 · all PA 28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6952J · registry record · serial 28-5052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING AFTER LOSING POWER AT 1500 FT THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH, OIL PRESSURE WENT TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. THIS PILOT HAD BEEN FORCED TO LAND THE SAME ACFT 3 DAYS EARLIER WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF. DURING THAT LANDING ROLL THE ACFT WENT INTO A DITCH AND DAMAGED THE NOSE GEAR AND PROPELLER. A CLUB MECHANIC HAD EXAMINED THE PLANE AND DECLARED THE DAMAGE LESS THAN SUBSTANTIAL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN FOR 45 MINUTES AND IT 'CHECKED OUT'. EXAMINATION AFTER THE 2ND ACCIDENT SHOWED THE ACFT OUT OF OIL. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE OIL FILLER NECK WAS BROKEN WHERE IT GOES INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE OIL HAD PUMPED OUT THIS BROKEN OIL FILLER TUBE. THERE WAS OIL ALL OVER THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE.
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: 149 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 69 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RCA Chandlerville IL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 5K1 Palmyra IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.