Piper PA-24-250 accident near Rochelle, Illinois, April 30, 1994
On April 30, 1994 at about 5:29 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7605P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rochelle, Illinois. 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 inadequate use of carburetor heat. Factors associated with the accident were carburetor icing conditions and rough terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1994 · about 5:29 pm local time
- Place
- Rochelle, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7605P · registry record · serial 24-2816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING ON AN IFR FLIGHT THE PILOT OBTAINED A FULL WEATHER BRIEFING. DURING THE BRIEFING THE PILOT WAS ADVISED OF AN ADVISORY FOR ICING NORTH OF ROUTE OF FLIGHT. WHILE EN ROUTE THE PILOT OBTAINED AN WEATHER BRIEFING FROM FLIGHT WATCH. HE WAS ADVISED THAT HIS DESTINATION REPORTED RAIN AND SNOW. THE PILOT REQUESTED A CLEARANCE TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. BEING TOLD TO STANDBY, HE CONTACTED THE ALTERNATE AIRPORT'S APPROACH CONTROL AND REQUESTED A CLEARANCE. THE PILOT SAID HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT WHEN HE NOTICED HIS ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. AFTER IT SMOOTHED OUT HE REMOVED THE HEAT. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT ONCE AGAIN WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE BEING VECTORED TO THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A MUDDY CORN FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE AND DEWPOINT WERE 35 AND 34 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY WHICH ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS IS CONDUCIVE FOR SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICE AT CRUISE POWER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,454 hours in all; 960 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,408 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,553 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 18, 1993; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAY Dayton OH at 3:47 pm
- Destination: MSN Madison WI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded at 700 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:34 pm from RFD, 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI94LA145.