Beech 55 accident near Wheeling, Illinois, February 6, 1992
On February 6, 1992 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Beech 55, registered N9029V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwaukee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER STARTING PROCEDURE ATTEMPTED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: MAGNETO SWITCH LEFT IN THE 'ON' POSITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1992 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwaukee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 55
- Registration
- N9029V · registry record · serial TC-1485
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UNABLE TO START THE ENGINES WITH THE BATTERY, THE PILOT DEPLANED THE AIRPLANE TO PULL THE PROPELLERS THROUGH BY HAND. THE LEFT ENGINE STARTED WHEN THE PILOT PULLED THE PROPELLER THROUGH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ENTER THE AIRPLANE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNABLE TO. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED IN SEVERAL CIRCLES PRIOR TO CONTACTING A GOLF CART AND COMING TO A STOP. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE MAGNETOS WERE LEFT IN THE 'ON' POSITION WHEN THE PILOT PULLED THROUGH THE PROPELLERS.
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: 2,148 hours in all; 1,466 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,007 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental I0-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Leawood KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:58 pm from NBU, 5 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.