Cessna 421A accident near Wheeling, Illinois, February 3, 1988
On February 3, 1988 at about 9:59 pm local time, a Cessna 421A, registered N421Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwaukee 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 3, 1988 · about 9:59 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwaukee
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421A · all 421As on the register
- Registration
- N421Q · registry record · serial 421A-0016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,596 hours in all; 1,358 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1,357 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 16, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EVV Evansville IN at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 5,137 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Observation at 10:00 pm from PWK
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.