Cessna T310R accident near Wheeling, Illinois, June 24, 1998
On June 24, 1998 at about 5:09 pm local time, a Cessna T310R, registered N5255C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwukee Municipal airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions which resulted in a lack of directional control of the aircraft. Factors to the accident were the two airport signs and the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1998 · about 5:09 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwukee Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T310R · all T310Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5255C · registry record · serial 310R1528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was cleared for takeoff on runway 30R. As the pilot began his rotation at 85 knots the airplane began to drift off the right side of the runway. The pilot aborted the takeoff, closed the throttles, and applied brake pressure. The aircraft impacted two airport signs before coming to a stop. The pilot stated that he then contacted the tower and taxied the airplane to the ramp without assistance. Post accident investigation show that there was substantial damage to the nose section of the aircraft. The winds reported at the airport, 16 minutes prior to the accident, were from 210 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot reported the accident could have been avoid or minimized had he closed the throttles sooner when struck by the gust of wind and had he pushed the nose of the airplane back on the ground to try and regain directional control.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,581 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1,154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,563 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1998; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,680 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWK
- Destination: LBE Westmoreland CO PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30R, 4,397 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PWK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.