- Date
- August 31, 1996, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chicago, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2087APiper PA-32
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 29, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960831032959A
- Case key
- 10386
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's improper flare during the forced landing.
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
The pilot reported 'the aircraft engine stopped' and he made a 'forced landing.' The forced landing was made in a level gravel field. During the landing, both main landing gear collapsed, and the left gear penetrated the upper surface of the wing. The propeller was positioned horizontally and was undamaged. The left fuel tank contained 18 gallons of fuel, and the right fuel tank was empty. The fuel selector was found in the off position. The engine operated normally during a postaccident test run.
Factual narrative
On August 31, 1996, about 0900 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32, N2087A, sustained substantial damage when the landing gear collapsed during a forced landing in Chicago, Illinois. The commercial rated pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91, personal flight originated about 0700 in Gary, Indiana with a planned destination of Chicago, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
In his written statement, the pilot reported "the aircraft engine stopped" and he made a "forced landing."
The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector who examined the airplane reported that it was located in a level gravel field. The propeller was positioned horizontally and was undamaged. Both main landing gear were collapsed and the left gear had penetrated the upper surface of the wing. The left fuel tank contained 18 gallons of fuel and the right fuel tank was empty. The fuel selector was in the off position. He reported no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The airframe and powerplant mechanic who recovered the airplane from the field reported that the engine operated normally during a test run.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2087A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7987001
- Airframe hours
- 1,932
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Niemeyer Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 30, 1996 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- GYY · Gary, IN
- Destination
- MDW · IL
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
- 18
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 375 total · 23 in this make and model · 326 as pilot in command · 88 in the last 90 days · 41 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.