Piper PA-28-236 accident near Harrisburg, Illinois, October 31, 1986
On October 31, 1986 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-236, registered N3066T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrisburg, Illinois (Harrisburg 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
- October 31, 1986 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Harrisburg, Illinois · Harrisburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N3066T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7911115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE WINDS AT THE DESTINATION ARPT WERE VARIABLE AND GUSTY. DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND, THE ACFT WAS HIGH. REPORTEDLY, THE WIND SHIFTED TO A TAIL WIND AS THE PLT WAS LANDING & THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RWY & WENT THRU A FENCE.
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
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 475 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C73 Dixon IL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: HSB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from MWA, 24 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.
Other NTSB records under N3066T 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.