Piper PA-32R-301T accident near Downers Grove, IL
On September 7, 2001, a Piper PA-32R-301T (airplane) was involved in an accident near Downers Grove, IL. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 7, 2001
- Place
- Downers Grove, IL
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301T · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 41.760°N, 88.011°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010912X01925
NTSB summary
On September 7, 2001, at 1153 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N81557, owned and piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain during initial climb from runway 27 (2,800 feet by 40 feet, asphalt) at the Brookridge Air Park Airport (LL22), Downers Grove, Illinois. The airplane impacted terrain in a residential neighborhood following an in-flight collision with trees and a power line. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan but had filed an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot and two passengers received serious injuries, one passenger was uninjured, and there were no ground injuries. The flight originated from LL22 en route to Mackinac Island, Michigan. The pilot reported the following in a written statement, "...I completed the balance of the Ground Check Check List and the Before Take Off Check List then set the Altimeter at 750 ft. MSL and set the flaps at 10 degrees. Prior to takeoff, the wind sock at the East end of the runaway was out of the varying out of the South at 10-15 knots. I looked at the windsock at the West end of the runway and could not tell if it was true out of the South, so I taxied to the West end to observe the windsock. A couple of houses to the East on the North side of the runway there was an American Flag above a garage and it looked like the wind was slightly out of the South Southwest. I taxied back to the East end of the field and prepared to use runway 27." "At approximately 11:30 am, announced my depart
Probable cause
the improper preflight planning/preparation and the short field take off/procedure not followed by the pilot. Contributing factors were the airplane's forward center of gravity, the variable gusting wind and improper weight and balance calculations by maintenance personnel.
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Browse: Illinois · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
