Piper PA-28-161 accident near Schaumburg, Illinois, July 17, 1985
On July 17, 1985 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N4349K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Schaumburg, Illinois (Schaumburg 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 17, 1985 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Schaumburg, Illinois · Schaumburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N4349K · no longer on the register · serial 84-6067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF PWR SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT REPORTED THAT AT AN ALT OF APRX 200 FT AGL, DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB, A TOTAL LOSS OF PWR OCCURRED. A LEFT TURN WAS MADE IN AN ATTEMPTTO AVOID BUILDINGS AND THE LANDING WAS MADE IN A FLD ADJACENT TO THE RWY. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED BTW THE LEFT TANK AND OFF POSITIONS.THE FUEL DETENT WAS DEPRESSED AND CARPET FIBERS WERE FOUND IN THE DETENT. THE ENG WAS TEST RUN AND WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS PLACED BTW THE LEFT TANK AND OFF POSITIONS, THE ENG WOULD QUIT WITHIN 3 MINUTES.
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: student
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 11, 1985; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from CHI, 619 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.
Other NTSB records under N4349K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.