Piper PA-28-235 accident near Monee, Illinois, March 31, 1989
On March 31, 1989 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N55191, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monee, Illinois. It was an instructional 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
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER METAL FRAGMENTS WERE FOUND IN THE OIL, AND WORN CAM LOBES/FOLLOWERS/PISTON PIN PLUGS, WHICH RESULTED IN OIL CONTAMINATION, RESTRICTION (BLOCKAGE) IN THE OIL SYSTEM, OIL STARVATION, AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE (CONNECTING ROD) FAILURE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT, LACK OF RUNWAY LIGHTS AT THE NEARBY AIRPORT, AND A DITCH 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
- March 31, 1989 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Monee, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N55191 · registry record · serial 28-7310120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,600 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 2,450 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 980 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 1988; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3HA Lansing IL at 11:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.