Piper PA-28-140 accident near Midlothian, Illinois, April 27, 1986
On April 27, 1986 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N33822, was substantially damaged in an accident near Midlothian, Illinois (Howell airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- April 27, 1986 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Midlothian, Illinois · Howell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N33822 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7525241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A STUDENT INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. ON INITIAL RUN UP THE CFI STATED HE HAD AN EXCESSIVE MAG DROP THAT CLEARED UP. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO AN ADJACENT FIELD TO MAKE TWO TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. DURING THE LAST TAKEOFF THE CFI SUSPECTED A POWER HESITATION. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN BACK TO IT'S HOME BASE WHERE A MAG CHECK WAS PERFORMED.THE CHECK WAS ALRIGHT AND TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED TO REMAIN IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. ON DOWNWIND CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED AND THEN REMOVED. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS GIVEN A SIMULATED ENG OUT AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY. ON FINAL APCH THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENG AND THE ACFT WAS LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY. INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY FAILURE/MALFUNCTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 823 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 645 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E32 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 3HW Midlothian IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,577 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from MDW, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.