Piper PA-32-R300 accident near Lake In Hills, Illinois, August 13, 1991
On August 13, 1991 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-R300, registered N40446, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake In Hills, Illinois (Lake In The Hills 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 FAILURE TO PERFORM AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY ASSURING THE GEAR LEVER WAS IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1991 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lake In Hills, Illinois · Lake In The Hills · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-R300 · all PA-32-R300s on the register
- Registration
- N40446 · no longer on the register · serial 32R7780517
- 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 HE FAILED TO NOTICE THE GEAR RETRACTION LEVER WAS IN THE UP POSITION DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE GEAR RETRACTED WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 509 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 391 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,700 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:45 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.