Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Wonder Lake, Illinois, March 3, 1990
On March 3, 1990 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N55030, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wonder Lake, Illinois (Galt 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
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAIIURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TREES & SNOWBANK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1990 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wonder Lake, Illinois · Galt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55030 · registry record · serial 28R-7335171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 27, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND. IT THEN LOST ALT, CONTACTED TREES SHORT OF THE RWY & YAWED TO THE LEFT. THE PLT REALIGNED THE ACFT WITH THE RWY, BUT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, IT VEERED LEFT & HIT A SNOWBANK. A POST-ACDNT EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN GEAR & LEFT WING WERE DAMAGED DURING THE OCCURRENCE. ABOUT 20 MI SOUTH AT DUPAGE, IL, THE 1550 CST WIND WAS FROM 330 DEG AT 11 KTS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 645 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 401 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,763 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1989; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 57C East Troy WI at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 10C
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,100 ft by 36 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DPA, 20 miles away
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.