Piper PA-28R-200 accident near La Salle, Illinois, August 17, 1984
On August 17, 1984 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N2841T, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Salle, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 17, 1984 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Salle, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2841T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7235143
- 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 IN A CORN FIELD AFTER A POWER LOSS. THE PLT SAID THAT THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING ROUGH AT START-UP. AFTER LEANING AND A RUN-UP IT SMOOTHED OUT. TWENTY MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE STARTED VIBRATINGAND THE EGT WENT UP TO 1379 DEGREES. THE MIXTURE WAS ENRICHED AND THE EGT DROPPED TO 1349 DEGREES BUT THE VIBRATION INCREASED. THE PLT REDUCED POWER BUT #1 CYLINDER BLEW OFF AND PENETRATED THE COWLING. THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN ANDLANDED. INESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE CRANKCASE HALVES WERE NOT FASTENED TOGETHER SECURELY. THE HOLD DOWN NUTS ON #3 AND #4 CYLINDERS WERE TORQUED TO 35 FOOT LBS. THE REQUIRED PRESSURE IS 55 FOOT LBS. THIS ENGINE CRANKCASE WAS REPLACED AT 1137 HOURS. THE LAST OVERHAUL WAS AT 3969 HOURS. THE LAST ANNUAL WAS AT 4393 HOURS.
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: 250 hours in all; 192 in this make and model; 151 in the last 90 days; 178 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,468 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 1984; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CGX Chicago IL at 10:05 pm
- Destination: MLI Moline IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DPA, 35 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.