Piper PA-32-300 accident near Crystal Lake, Illinois, August 19, 1996
On August 19, 1996 at about 2:09 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N823PJ, was destroyed in an accident near Crystal Lake, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate fuel management and which resulted in fuel system exhaustion. The factors involved were the pilot's failure to refuel, inadequate preflight planning/preparation and the dark night conditions encountered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1996 · about 2:09 am local time
- Place
- Crystal Lake, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N823PJ · no longer on the register · serial 32-40583
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight itinerary consisted of a 4.5-hour round-robin flight from Schaumburg, Illinois, to Eagle River, Wisconsin and return. The airplane departed Schaumburg with approximately 84 gallons of fuel, and was not refueled prior to the return flight. The pilot said he had 24 gallons in the main tanks and 4 gallons in each tip tank prior to departing Eagle River. On takeoff, the cabin door was unsecured and a return landing to the Eagle River Airport was executed. On the return flight to Schaumburg, the engine lost power several times. The pilot was able to temporarily restore power by switching between fuel tanks. The pilot decided to land in a street because he could not find a local airport. The airplane contacted parked vehicles and a residence during the landing. Both the pilot and front passenger were not wearing shoulder harnesses. The weather was observed as light to moderate rain with lighting and thunderstorms in the vicinity. Forty six ounces of fuel were drained from the left wing. The engine ran successfully at all power applications with no discrepancies noticed.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 494 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 353 as pilot in command; 172 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,299 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 27, 1996; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming OI-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northwest Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: EGV Eagle River WI
- Destination: 06C Schaumburg IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:08 am from DPA, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N823PJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.