Piper PA-18-150 accident near Granite City, Illinois, August 21, 1999
On August 21, 1999 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N90904, was substantially damaged in an accident near Granite City, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of power for undetermined reason(s) and the rough/uneven.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1999 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Granite City, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N90904 · no longer on the register · serial 18-8109039
- 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 during cruise flight the engine lost power. During the forced landing on rough and uneven terrain the airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot said he did not know the nature or origin of the loss of engine power. Subsequent to the accident, but after the airplane was moved to a location away from the accident site, an inspection of the engine and airframe failed to reveal any mechanical anomalies. The top spark plugs were removed and had brown deposits on them. The wings had been removed and no fuel remained in the fuel tanks; however, what fuel was present in the lines appeared blue in color, and was free of contamination.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,140 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,937 as pilot in command; 152 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1H0 Creve Coeur MO at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from ALN, 15 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.