Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Wheeling, Illinois, December 24, 1995
On December 24, 1995 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N8162S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwaukee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1995 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwaukee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N8162S · no longer on the register · serial 28R-8018042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he was going to execute some takeoffs and landings to comply with the regulations pertaining to currency. During the first crosswind landing, at approximately 10 to 15 feet, the airplane encountered a downdraft. The pilot said he increased the elevator deflection, but the airplane's rate of descent did not decrease. He did not increase engine power because there was not enough time and the airplane landed hard. The right landing gear was twisted approximately 30 degrees outboard, and the right wing was bent up with skin wrinkling on the upper surface.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,303 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1,905 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1995; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWK at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,137 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from PWK
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.
Other NTSB records under N8162S 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.