20030417010139I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-31T1 · Chicago/Wheelin, IL · April 17, 2003

Date: April 17, 2003 · 05:50 local
Place: Chicago/Wheelin, IL
Airport: Pal-Waukee Airport
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N855JL
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03IA108
Reported as: Piper PA31T1
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,572 total9 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N855JLRegistration cancelled Jan 23, 2026 · Piper PA-31T1S/N 31T-8104045 · Built 1981 Airframe modelPiper PA-31T1 Engine modelU/A Canada PT6A seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) During approach to landing at the palwaukee airport at sunrise, the aircraft was flown at significantly low altitude to cause impact with power lines off the end of runway 6. The wires were cut and the tops of 2 poles broke off allowing the aircraft to continue to landing without crashing. The aircraft landed with the right main landing gear damaged and propeller. Suspect pilot competency on the parts of both pilots. The pilot in the right seat was a current CFI suspected in conducting training. The pilot (PIC) had only flown one (1) flight in which he received nine (9) hours in a turboprop aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) DURING APPROACH TO LANDING AT THE PALWAUKEE AIRPORT AT SUNRISE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN AT SIGNIFICANTLY LOW ALTITUDE TO CAUSE IMPACT WITH POWER LINES OFF THE END OF RUNWAY 6. THE WIRES WERE CUT AND THE TOPS OF 2 POLES BROKE OFF ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTINUE TO LANDING WITHOUT CRASHING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED WITH THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DAMAGED AND PROPELLER. SUSPECT PILOT COMPETENCY ON THE PARTS OF BOTH PILOTS. THE PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT WAS A CURRENT CFI SUSPECTED IN CONDUCTING TRAINING. THE PILOT (PIC) HAD ONLY FLOWN ONE (1) FLIGHT IN WHICH HE RECEIVED NINE (9) HOURS IN A TURBOPROP AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI03IA108Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportWheeling, ILThe pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance and the inadequate glidepath which resulted in a collision with a utility pole. Contributing factors were the lack of experience in the incident airplane by the left seat pilot, the visual illusion of a…Apr 17, 2003 · Minor damage