Piper PA-28-161 and Piper PA-28-181 mid-air collision near Charleston, Illinois, October 15, 1986
On October 15, 1986 at about 4:20 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-28-161 (N8267W) and Piper PA-28-181 (N30019), were involved in a mid-air collision near Charleston, Illinois (Coles County airport). 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- October 15, 1986 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, Illinois · Coles County · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8267W · no longer on the register · serial 28-8116040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N30019 · registry record · serial 28-7890449
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-161 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N8267W WAS ON PRACTICE NDB APPROACH TO RWY 29 UNDER ATC CLRNC WITH HOODED STU AT CONTROLS IN LEFT SEAT, IP IN RIGHT SEAT, PROCEEDING LEVEL AT MDA FOR LOW PASS. EVIDENCE INDICATES N30019 HAD ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24 AND WAS IN LEFT TURN VFR APPROACH FOR RWY 24 AT COLLISION. CREW OF N8267W HAD BROADCAST 'IN THE BLIND' POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON UNICOM FREQ. PLT OF N30019 HAD RECEIVED UNICOM ADVISORY OF RWY 24 IN USE, BUT DID NOT BROADCAST POSITION OR INTENTIONS. IP IN N8267W DID NOT SEE N30019 UNTIL AFTER COLLISION. EVIDENCE INDICATES N30019 PASSED BENEATH N8267W IN LEFT TURN, STRIKING UNDERSIDE OF N8267W RIGHT WING/LANDING GEAR WITH OWN RIGHT WING OUTER PANEL. CLOSING ANGLE ESTIMATED FROM WITNESS STATEMENTS WAS 130 DEGREES. COLLISION ANGLE CALCULATED FROM IMPACT SCRATCH MARKS WAS 92 DEGREES.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-181 final · quoted from the NTSB record
N8267W WAS ON PRACTICE NDB APPROACH TO RWY 29 UNDER ATC CLRNC WITH HOODED STU AT CONTROLS IN LEFT SEAT, IP IN RIGHT SEAT, PROCEEDING LEVEL AT MDA FOR LOW PASS. EVIDENCE INDICATES N30019 HAD ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 24 AND WAS IN LEFT TURN VFR APPROACH FOR RWY 24 AT COLLISION. CREW OF N8267W HAD BROADCAST 'IN THE BLIND' POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON UNICOM FREQ. PLT OF N30019 HAD RECEIVED UNICOM ADVISORY OF RWY 24 IN USE, BUT DID NOT BROADCAST POSITION OR INTENTIONS. IP IN N8267W DID NOT SEE N30019 UNTIL AFTER COLLISION. EVIDENCE INDICATES N30019 PASSED BENEATH N8267W IN LEFT TURN, STRIKING UNDERSIDE OF N8267W RIGHT WING/LANDING GEAR WITH OWN RIGHT WING OUTER PANEL. CLOSING ANGLE ESTIMATED FROM WITNESS STATEMENTS WAS 130 DEGREES. COLLISION ANGLE CALCULATED FROM IMPACT SCRATCH MARKS WAS 92 DEGREES.
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 for the Piper PA-28-161 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,936 hours in all; 562 in this make and model; 408 in the last 90 days; 1,788 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,430 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1986; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Avistar Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: CMI Champaign IL at 3:50 pm
- Destination: MTO Mattoon IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 6,501 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MTO, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-181 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 606 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,397 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1986; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K96 Tuscola IL at 3:50 pm
- Destination: MTO Mattoon IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,799 ft by 100 ft
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.