Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Monee, Illinois, March 23, 1990
On March 23, 1990 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N4490X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monee, Illinois. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL STARVATION RESULTING FROM IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND DIRECTIVE COMPLIANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILED PART.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1990 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Monee, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4490X · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7635057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND PRIVATE PILOT RATED STUDENT WERE ON AN INSTRUMENT CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING FLIGHT. PILOT EXPERIENCED ENGINE RPM SURGE OVER RED LINE, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY SMOKE IN COCKPIT, AND OIL STREAMING OVER WINDSHIELD. PILOT REDUCED POWER, DECLARED EMERGENCY, AND ATC PROVIDED WIND STEER TO NEAREST AIRPORT. ENGINE SEIZED BEFORE PILOT MADE AIRPORT. PILOT EXECUTED FORCED LANDING IN SOFT FARMER'S FIELD. ALL LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON ROLLOUT. AIRCRAFT SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, BOTH PIOTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED PROP GOVERNOR OIL LINE FRACTURED AT FORWARD ATTACHMENT NUT, AND BROKEN FORWARD OIL LINE SUPPORT CLAMP. AFT OIL LINE SUPPORT CLAMP WAS MISSING. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE PERTAINING TOINSTALLATION AND END FITTINGS OF PROP GOVERNOR OIL LINE COMPLIED WITH 14 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE MISHAP.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,495 hours in all; 198 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,363 as pilot in command; 1,010 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,288 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1990; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Griffith Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 05C Griffith IN
- Destination: IND Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°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.