Piper PA-32RT accident near Joliet, Illinois, March 1, 1995
On March 1, 1995 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT, registered N1978J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Joliet, Illinois. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the number four cylinder due to a loose cylinder hold down stud. A factor in the accident was the embankment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1995 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Joliet, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT · all PA-32RTs on the register
- Registration
- N1978J · registry record · serial 32R-7885223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT STATED HE BEGAN TO TROUBLESHOOT AND EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL EXCEPT THE FUEL FLOW WAS LOW. AT THIS TIME HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, SWITCHED FUEL TANKS, AND TURNED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP ON. THE PILOT STATED HE THEN HEARD A 'BANG' FROM THE ENGINE AND ALL ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON AN ACCESS ROAD ADJACENT TO A HIGHWAY. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKCASE. FRACTURES OF THE CYLINDER HOLD DOWN STUDS SHOWED NO CLEAR EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE CRACKING. FRACTURES ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF OVERSTRESS SEPARATIONS. FRETTING DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ON THE MATING CYLINDER FLANGE, CRANKCASE BOSS, AND METAL FOLDS ON THE CYLINDER FLANGE/HOLE WALL CORNERS.
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: 823 hours in all; 415 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 724 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,450 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1994; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 11:10 pm
- Destination: BMI Bloomington IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI95LA097.