Beech A36 accident near Wheeling, Illinois, February 28, 1984
On February 28, 1984 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N24187, was destroyed in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwaukee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- February 28, 1984 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwaukee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N24187 · registry record · serial E-1224
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED ABOUT MIDFIELD AT WHAT ONE WITNESS ESTIMATED AS 6 IN ABOVE THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS BETWEEN 20 AND 50 FT ABOVE THE TREES WHEN IT ROLLED INTO A STEEP RIGHT ANGLE OF BANK WITH THE NOSE DROPPING SIMULTANEOUSLY. POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE WRECKAGE. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING WARNING OF OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 10,000 AS WELL AS MODERATE ICING IN CLOUDS AS INDICATED BY SIGMET CHARLIE 7. AT IMPACT THE GEAR WERE IN TRANSIT AND THE FLAPS WERE PARTIALLY EXTENDED. WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM 040 DEGREES AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 40 KTS.
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: 1,000 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 5, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CID Cedar Rapids IA at 2:17 pm
- Destination: PWK Wheeling IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6L, 3,652 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 20 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:41 pm from PWK, 1 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.
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.