Piper PA-28-161 N4372S

Summary

On 10 December 1989 at about 21:50 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N4372S, operated by Travel Express, Inc., was involved in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 December 1989 at 21:50

Classification

Accident

Location

West Chicago, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Dupage County (DPA)

Coordinates

41.8792, -88.2193

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N4372S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Travel Express, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI90LA069

Nobody was injured.

FAILURE OF THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND, THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL INEXPERIENCE, AND THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER A STOP-&-GO LANDING ON RWY 10, THE STUDENT PLT ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING ON RWY 15. HE RPRTD THAT AFTER A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN, THE ACFT DECELERATED THRU 30 KTS, THEN BEGAN TO VEER OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE STUDENT SAID HE CORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE LEFT SIDE & STRUCK RWY LIGHTS. IT WAS STOPPED ABOUT 50 FT FROM THE EDGE OF THE RWY. THE RWY HAD A DIRECT CROSSWIND OF ABOUT 6 KTS. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A PRE-ACDNT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.