Piper PA-32-301 accident near Harvard, Illinois, July 7, 1992
On July 7, 1992 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N8056P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harvard, Illinois (Dacy airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND WIND INFORMATION AS PRESENTED BY THE WINDSOCK, SELECTING THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR LANDING, AND DELAYING THE ABORTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1992 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Harvard, Illinois · Dacy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8056P · no longer on the register · serial 32-8206017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MISINTERPRETED THE WIND DIRECTION WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE WIND SOCK PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE AIRPORT. AFTER A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF AND A SHORT DURATION LOCAL FLIGHT THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED DOWNWIND. WHEN THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DECELERATE AFTER TOUCHING DOWN HE ATTEMPTED A BALKED LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,050 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command; 475 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,153 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 1992; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Patrick Afb Aero Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,760 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from DPA, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N8056P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.