Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Peru, Illinois, June 17, 1995
On June 17, 1995 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N21873, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peru, Illinois (Illinois Valley Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing. A factor in the accident was the runway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1995 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Peru, Illinois · Illinois Valley Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N21873 · registry record · serial 32R-7885264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING, THE PILOT NOTICED A QUARTERING HEADWIND. THE PILOT STATED HE HELD THE NECESSARY CORRECTION FOR THE WIND DRIFT. AFTER THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. IT THEN TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DECIDED TO PERFORM A GO AROUND. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS TAKING OFF, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A RUNWAY LIGHT DAMAGING THE GEAR AND LEFT WING. THE PILOT CONTINUED WITH THE TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKING OFF, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 1000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THE PILOT PERFORMED TWO PASSES OVER THE AIRPORT SO THAT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL COULD DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE LANDING GEAR. AFTER THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL DETERMINED THAT THE LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS NOT LOCKED, THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF HE HAD DONE A GO AROUND WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGH ON FINAL.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 625 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 525 as pilot in command; 128 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,209 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1994; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IKK Kankakee IL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: VYS IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.