Piper PA-28-140 accident near Kankakee, Illinois, July 16, 1994
On July 16, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7079R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kankakee, Illinois (Kankakee Koerners airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING PREPARATION BY THE IMPROPER LOADING OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kankakee, Illinois · Kankakee Koerners · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7079R · registry record · serial 28-21781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THE AIRPLANE FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS LOADED TO GROSS WEIGHT WITH FUEL AND A TOTAL OF FOUR PERSONS ABOARD. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TOPS OF CORN LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ABNORMALITIES WERE REPORTED BY THE INSTRUCTOR. A WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATION DONE BY THE FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE EXCEEDED THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT LIMITATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND TO HAVE BEEN LOADED OUTSIDE OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY RANGE LISTED IN THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT MANUAL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1994; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Koerner Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,600 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.