Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Sandwich, Illinois, February 14, 1994
On February 14, 1994 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N76SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandwich, Illinois (Woodlake Landing airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the private pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing on a snow and ice covered runway. Factors are the snow on the runway and the snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1994 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sandwich, Illinois · Woodlake Landing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N76SA · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7635110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT STATED THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL, BUT AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE LANDING, BUT THE AIRPLANE HAD MOVED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A PILE OF PLOWED ICE AND SNOW LOCATED ALONG THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE VEERED BACK INTO THE RUNWAY, AND CAME TO REST NOSED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED WHEN HE SAW THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS, HE HAD DOUBTS ABOUT LANDING SAFELY, BUT HE 'HAD LANDED ON SNOW BEFORE, SO I PRECEEDED.' HE STATED HE SHOULD NOT HAVE LANDED UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS.
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: 197 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 156 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,701 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 22, 1993; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-CIC (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Aircraft
The flight
- Departed from: VPZ Valparaiso IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,988 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N76SA 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.