Piper PA-34-200T accident near Wheeling, Illinois, August 9, 1986
On August 9, 1986 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N6120J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Pal-Waukee airport). It was a personal 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
- August 9, 1986 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Pal-Waukee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N6120J · no longer on the register · serial 34-7670249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT REPORTED THAT UPON LANDING, GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED AND AFTER LANDING RIGHT WHEEL BUCKLED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED BREAK RESULTED FROM HARD SIDE LOAD.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWC Milwaukee WI at 7:00 pm
- Destination: PWK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from NBU, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.