Piper PA23-250 accident near Carbondale, Illinois, May 31, 1990
On May 31, 1990 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA23-250, registered N32AC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carbondale, Illinois (Southern Illinois 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 INABILITY TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TOUCHDOWN AND LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1990 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Carbondale, Illinois · Southern Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA23-250 · all PA23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N32AC · registry record · serial 27-7405366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FIRST TOUCH AND GO WAS UNEVENTFUL, BUT WHEN THE NOSE GEAR TOUCHED DOWN ON THE SECOND LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED 'VIOLENTLY' TO THE LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THEN SWERVED 'RATHER SUDDENLY' BACK TO THE RIGHT AND ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER STATED THAT THE PILOT APPLIED PULL RIGHT RUDDER AND RIGHT BRAKE, AND USED DIFFERENTIAL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED SKID MARKS ON THE RUNWAY WHICH WERE CONSISTENT WITH A TOUCH DOWN WITH THE LEFT BRAKE LOCKED. EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STEERING ARM FAILED IN AN OVERLOAD 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,045 hours in all; 398 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 2,795 as pilot in command; 705 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,579 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 6, 1990; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-C1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Aircraft Leasing,Inc
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,093 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:23 pm from MDH
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.