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CHI89FA135

1989-07-14 · LOCKPORT, Illinois, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LOT

N3146T has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (PIPER PA-12, built 1947), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, AND HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL OR MUSH. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE AIRCRAFT'S EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT.

Factual narrative

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FROM A 3000 FT RUNWAY WITH A PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. AFTER A LONG TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, BUT FAILED TO GAIN NORMAL ALTITUDE. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED UP & DOWND MOVEMENT OF THE 'STABILATOR' & THAT THE PLANE WAS STARTING TO PORPOISE IN FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A LEFT TURN BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THEN DESCENDED & COLLIDED WITH A MANUFACTURING PLANT. THE AIRCRAFT'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 86 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM CERTIFIED LIMIT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_CHI89FA135.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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