Aerospace ATR-42-300 accident near Peoria, Illinois, July 17, 1991
On July 17, 1991 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Aerospace ATR-42-300, registered N425TE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peoria, Illinois (Greater Peoria airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 19 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT COMPONENT (FAILED BOLT), AND INSUFFICIENT INSPECTION STANDARDS PERTAINING TO THE FAILED BOLT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT IS INACCURATE MAINTENANCE RECORD KEEPING RELATING TO OIL CONSUMPTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1991 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Peoria, Illinois · Greater Peoria · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 19 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospace ATR-42-300
- Registration
- N425TE · no longer on the register · serial 125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 1 (LEFT ENGINE) AND SUBSEQUENT NACELLE FIRE WHILE ON SHORT FINAL FOR LANDING. PILOT MADE UNEVENTFUL LANDING, AND CONDUCTED EMERGENCY EVACUATION ON THE RUNWAY. THE CAPTAIN FIRED BOTH FIRE BOTTLES BEFORE EXITING THE AIRCRAFT. AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED FAILURE OF THE POWER TURBINE DUE TO FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE RESULTING FROM A FAILED TURBINE CASE BOLT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,831 hours in all; 2,390 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 27, 1992; 114 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 36,825 lb
- Seats: 51
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW-120-13S-63 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: Trans States Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: STL St. Louis MO at 8:26 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 16 |
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.