# NTSB CHI79FEE16: Piper PA-30, N8143Y, Kankakee, IL, December 16, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: December 16, 1978
- Place: Kankakee, IL · KANKAKEE, IL
- Location: 41.1017° N, 87.8637° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Kankakee, IL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1017&lon=-87.8637&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 27, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 137960
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI79FEE16
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI79FEE16

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4167  78/12/16   KANKAKEE,IL         PIPER PA-30         CR-  0  0  1  MISCELLANEOUS             COMMERCIAL, AGE 57, 18500
        TIME - 1030                    N8143Y              PX-  0  0  1  TEST                      TOTAL HOURS, 50 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - GREATER KANKAKEE
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          KANKAKEE,IL                 KANKAKEE,IL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           GEAR RETRACTED                                           LANDING: ROLL
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           AIRFRAME - LANDING GEAR: NORMAL RETRACTION/EXTENSION ASSEMBLY
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - MATERIAL FAILURE
        REMARKS- GEAR RETRACTION TUBE,P/N 2101203,BROKEN
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8143Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8143Y), registered now, S/N 30-1254, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Greater Kankakee

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19781216039389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19781216039389A), Dec 16, 1978: Piper PA30, Kankakee, IL, Substantial damage. Gear retraction tube,p/n 2101203,broken

## Other investigations on N8143Y (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN26LA225](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA225), Jun 15, 2026: Piper PA-30 (N8143Y), Meridian, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of power to both engines due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to verify the airplane’s fuel quantity before departure.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.