Piper PA-28-161 accident near West Chicago, Illinois, December 10, 1989
On December 10, 1989 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N4372S, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage County airport). It was an instructional 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
FAILURE OF THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND, THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL INEXPERIENCE, AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1989 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N4372S · registry record · serial 28-8416115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A STOP-&-GO LANDING ON RWY 10, THE STUDENT PLT ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING ON RWY 15. HE RPRTD THAT AFTER A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT DECELERATED THRU 30 KTS, THEN BEGAN TO VEER OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE STUDENT SAID HE CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE LEFT SIDE & STRUCK RWY LIGHTS. IT WAS STOPPED ABOUT 50 FT FROM THE EDGE OF THE RWY. THE RWY HAD A DIRECT CROSSWIND OF ABOUT 6 KTS. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A PRE-ACDNT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: student
- Flight time: 59 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,027 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 9, 1989; 400 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Travel Express, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DPA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: DPA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,401 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.