- Date
- September 25, 1983, 20:55 local (Sep 26, 1983, 01:55 UTC)
- Place
- Bethany, IL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8236UPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830925075899A
- Case key
- 12029
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Prior to this flt, the plt had contacted a fss & inquired about the wx. He was advised that VFR flt to terre haute, IN, was not recommended. He took off at about 1830 CDT. The plt again contacted the fss & inquired about the wx at burlington, IA & springfield, IL (a probable route to avoid congested traffic in the chicago, IL area). Reportedly, the wx in the burlington area was acceptable, but the plt was again advised that flt to terra haute was not recommended. This was the last known radio contact with the acft. Just prior to the accident, witnesses heard the acft. One witness heard the eng 'rev up' & then saw a blinking light, just before the plane crashed. An exam revealed that the acft had separated in flt. The r stabilizer, lower half of the tail cone, forward section of the vertical stabilizer, l flap & l wing were found about 1 to 1 1/2 mi from the main wreckage. No pre-accident part failure or malfunction was found. The plt had logged 1 hr of night time in the preceeding 90 days, but had not logged ngt lndgs drg that time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8236U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8016360
- Airframe hours
- 886
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D36, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John G. Kelly, Jr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 19, 1983 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- OK9 · Oelwein, IA
- Destination
- HUF · Terre Haute, IN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 117 in this make and model · 135 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DEC, 14 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.