Piper PA-34-200T accident near West Chicago, Illinois, March 12, 1989
On March 12, 1989 at about 11:29 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N3045M, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT. THE CROSSWIND (QUARTERING HEADWIND) WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1989 · about 11:29 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N3045M · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870038
- 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,047 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 804 as pilot in command; 33 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,734 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:41 pm from DPA
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.