Aviation Crash Map

Piper PA-24-250 N651OP

21 April 1991 · Wadsworth, Illinois, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 21 April 1991 at about 15:50 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N651OP, operated by Kazimierz Pajerski, was involved in an accident near Wadsworth, Illinois, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 15:50
Classification
Accident
Location
Wadsworth, Illinois, United States
Coordinates
42.4302, -87.9190
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-250
Registration
N651OP
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Kazimierz Pajerski
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Grayslake → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI91FA135

People

4 people were seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
4 0 4 0 0

Probable cause

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SELECT THE PROPER FUEL TANK AND NOT PERFORMING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHEN THE ENGINE CEASED TO RUN. A FACTOR RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS POWER TRANSMISSIONS WIRES LOCATED ON THE PILOT'S APPROACH PATH TO LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HIGH PERFORMANCE SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE WAS ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT CHOSE AN UNPLOWED, DIRT, FARM FIELD IN WHICH TO LAND. DURING THE LANDING APPROACH THE AIRPLANE STRUCK ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION LINES. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED END OVER END AND FELL INTO THE FIELD. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN EMPTY RIGHT WING FUEL TANK AND THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS ABOUT 3/4 FULL. THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE WAS FOUND POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT WING TANK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-24 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
30 Oct 1991 Piper PA-24-250
N6815P
Ellicott, Colorado, United States Southwest Aircraft Recovery Minor injuries -
3 Feb 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N9209P
Cordele, Georgia, United States Carter, Richard C. Fatal 3
30 Mar 1991 Piper PA-24-250
N7457P
Franklin, Tennessee, United States Hannasch, Thomas P. Fatal 1
12 Nov 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N9161P
Charles City, Iowa, United States Culbert Aeronautics No injuries -
1 Dec 1991 Piper PA-24-180
N5174P
Sandston, Virginia, United States Michael Kroll Serious injuries -
15 Sep 1991 Piper PA-24-260
N8888P
Tehachapi, California, United States James W. Hager No injuries -

All 2,700 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
20 Nov 1991 Aerospatiale ATR-42-300
N235RM
Chicago, Illinois, United States
no coordinates
Simmons Airlines Inc. Minor injuries -
23 Dec 1991 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30
N142AA
Chicago, Illinois, United States
no coordinates
American Airlines No injuries -
11 May 1991 Enstrom F28
N86214
Hampshire, Illinois, United States Asteroid Helicopter Corp. No injuries -
7 Oct 1991 Piper PA-12
N2499M
Roscoe, Illinois, United States Robert L. REX Minor injuries -
27 May 1991 Cessna 172N
N5710E
Chicago, Illinois, United States Chicago Skyline, Ltd. No injuries -
20 Oct 1991 Cessna C-210G
N5876F
Freeport, Illinois, United States Schwinn, Phillip C. No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States