Piper PA-28-161 accident near Winfield, Illinois, October 16, 1994
On October 16, 1994 at about 6:41 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9089U, was destroyed in an accident near Winfield, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
COLLISION WITH THE GROUND FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. THE PILOT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION WAS A PROBABLE FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1994 · about 6:41 pm local time
- Place
- Winfield, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9089U · no longer on the register · serial 2816004
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT CONTACTED ATC AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS 'GOING DOWN.' CONTROLLER INQUIRIES FAILED TO REVEAL THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT LOW ALTITUDE, THEN WITHOUT SLOWING, IT SUDDENLY WENT IN A 30 TO 40 DEGREE DESCENT. ACCORDING TO ONE WITNESS, IT CONTINUED IN THE DIVE WITH THE ENGINE AT A HIGH POWER SETTING AND DID NOT VEER FROM ITS COURSE, AS THOUGH THE PLANE WAS IN A DELIBERATE DIVE. IMPACT WITH THE GROUND OCCURRED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. FRIENDS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD BECOME VISIBLY UPSET AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF BUZZING A COLLEGE CAMPUS TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. TWO OF HIS FRIENDS, WHO WERE ABOARD DURING THE ALLEGED BUZZING, STATED THAT HE MADE STATEMENTS THAT HIS ESTATE/PARENTS WOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY LEGAL FEES THEY INCURRED AND THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY WOULD NOT BE BOTHERED WAS IF HE DIDN'T LAND THE AIRPLANE. A SHERIFF'S REPORT CONCLUDED THAT THE OCCURRENCE WAS 'PROBABLY SUICIDAL IN NATURE.'
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: 223 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 147 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,563 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 21, 1994; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,447 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northwest Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BMI Bloomington IL at 5:55 pm
- Destination: 06C Schaumburg IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DPA
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.