Piper PA-31-350 accident near Plainfield, Illinois, May 30, 1990
On May 30, 1990 at about 2:25 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N62869, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois (Clow International airport). It was an executive or corporate 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO INSURE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND LOCKED PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1990 · about 2:25 am local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Clow International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N62869 · registry record · serial 31-7652145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DISTRACTED FROM HIS NORMAL PROCEDURES/CHECKLISTS, WHILE IN THE VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, AND THAT HE FAILED TO INSURE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND LOCKED BEFORE TOUCHDOWN. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS CONCERNED WITH MAKING A DECENT LANDING FROM A 'STEEPER-THAN-NORMAL' APPROACH AT AN UNFAMILIAR AIRPORT IN DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS. HE HAD MOVED THE GEAR SELECT HANDLE DOWN, BUT NOT FAR ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE GEAR EXTEND MECHANISM. HE STATED THAT HE NEVER LOOKED FOR THREE GREEN LIGHTS (TO VERIFY THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED) UNTIL HE HEARD A SCRAPING NOISE AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN. THE LANDING GEAR WARNING HORN WAS FOUND TO OPERATE INTERMITENTLY DUE TO DIRTY CONTACT POINTS.
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: 21,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 168 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 20,800 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,187 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 9, 1990; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pullen Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SIK Sikeston MO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 3,370 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.