Piper PA28 accident near St. Joseph, Illinois, July 30, 2017
On July 30, 2017 at about 2:15 am local time, a 1979 Piper PA28, registered N2204B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near St. Joseph, Illinois (Routh airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in the nose landing gear collapsing and subsequent loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2017 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- St. Joseph, Illinois · Routh · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 236, built 1979 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N2204B · no longer on the register · serial 28-7911012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while landing at night, the threshold and right side runway lights were out of service at the airport. He added that he "must have been closer [to the ground] than [he] estimated" on approach because the airplane landed flat. Subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered left, and he attempted to correct with right rudder. The airplane came to rest left of the runway in an adjacent cornfield. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Perception › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › (general) › (general) › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,335 hours in all; 2,079 in this make and model; 7.5 in the last 90 days; 6.4 in the last 30 days; 3,097 as pilot in command; 771 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 14, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,391 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3A5D (piston); 3,391 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSH Oshkosh WI at 12:10 pm
- Destination: 9IL2 St. Joseph IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,664 ft by 134 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KCMI, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 3, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.