Piper PA-28-236 accident near Schaumburg, Illinois, January 11, 1986
On January 11, 1986 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N8470H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Schaumburg, Illinois (Schaumburg Air Park 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
- January 11, 1986 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Schaumburg, Illinois · Schaumburg Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N8470H · registry record · serial 28-8211018
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REFUELED THE DAY BEFORE IN BUFFALO NEW YORK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN FLOWN TO CHICAGO,IL. THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT WAS FOUR HOURS AND THIRTY MINUTES. THE FOLLOWING DAY, WITHOUT REFUELING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN TO SCHAUMBURG, IL WHERE THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A STATE HIGHWAY STRIKING A CAR AND A ROW OF MAILBOXES. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT HE HAD 15.1 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING WHEN HE DEPARTED CHICAGO FOR SCHAUMBURG. HIS CALCULATION WAS BASED ON THE 4.5 HRS. FLOWN THE DAY BEFORE AT 75% POWER WITH 72 USABLE GALS. INVESTIGATION REVEALED LESS THAN ONE QUART OF FUEL REMAINING AFTER THE CRASH LANDING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 487 hours in all; 143 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 395 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1985; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDW Chicago IL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 06C Schaumburg IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from DPA, 9 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.