Piper PA-24-180 accident near Joliet, Illinois, August 3, 1991
On August 3, 1991 at about 2:00 am local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N5715P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Joliet, Illinois (Joliet airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A PROPER CLIMB RATE WAS NOT ATTAINED WHICH RESULTED IN A MUSH/STALL BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE PERFORMANCE DATA MIS-JUDGED DUE TO LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, AND OVER CONFIDENCE IN AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1991 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Joliet, Illinois · Joliet · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5715P · no longer on the register · serial 24-789
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF HE FELT A LACK OF ENGINE POWER AND A POSITIVE CLIMB RATE WAS NOT ATTAINED. THE ACFT SETTLED BACK TO THE TERRAIN, JUST BEYOND THE RUNWAY'S END. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY POWER RELATED SYSTEM MALFUNCTION.
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: 234 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,594 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1991; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Commuter Flying Club, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,970 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:45 am from ARR, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.