Piper PA-28-180 accident near Chicago, Illinois, January 21, 1989
On January 21, 1989 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N16375, was destroyed in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Meigs airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS AND RETAINING WALL IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 1989 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Meigs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N16375 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7305239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & 2 OBSERVER/TRAINEES WERE ON A FLT ALONG THE LAKE MICHIGAN SHORELINE. AFTER APRX 23 MIN OF FLT, WHILE APCHG TO LAND AT CHICAGO, THE PLT RPRTD AN ENG PROBLEM OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A PARKING LOT AT A WATER FILTRATION PLANT. AFTER CLRG THE ROOF OF A BLDG, THE ACFT TURNED & SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A RETAINING WALL AT THE EDGE OF THE PARKING LOT. BOTH OBSERVER/TRAINEES WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE PLT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED & WAS UNABLE TO RECALL THE EVENTS OF THE FLT. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK, WHICH REMAINED INTACT. LESS THAN 1 GAL OF FUEL WAS ESTIMATED TO BE REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK. THE ACFT FUEL TANKS HAD A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 50 GAL, OF WHICH, 13.5 PINTS OF FUEL WAS CONSIDERED TO BE UNUSABLE (LESS THAN 1 GAL PER TANK). APRX 3 HRS AFTER THE ACDNT, NO ODOR OF FUEL WAS NOTED BENEATH THE RUPTURED RGT FUEL TANK. NO WITNESSES OR RECORDS WERE FOUND TO INDICATE THE ACFT HAD BEEN REFUELED BEFORE THE FLT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1,300 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 16, 1988; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 3:27 pm
- Destination: CGX Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from CGX, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 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.