Piper PA-18-150 N476SM

Summary

On 14 August 2025 at about 22:14 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N476SM, operated by Drake Aerial Enterprises LLC, was involved in an accident near Joliet, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

14 August 2025 at 22:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Joliet, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

41.5150, -88.1521

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N476SM

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Drake Aerial Enterprises LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Banner Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Joliet → Joliet

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN25LA322

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On August 14, 2025, at 1714 central daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150 airplane, N476SM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Joliet, Illinois. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 banner tow flight. The pilot reported that he fueled the airplane and departed for a planned 3-hour banner tow flight in and around the Joliet area. About two hours into the flight, he heard a “loud bang” from the engine, which resulted in strong vibrations and a gradual loss of engine power. Shortly after, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane ground looped and impacted a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the left elevator. The responding FAA inspector reported that there was engine oil on the bottom of the fuselage from the engine cowling to the empennage. There was also oil leaking from the engine exhaust pipe. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve failed. Most of the valve stem remained inside the valve guide while the valve head was destroyed inside the cylinder. There were no other engine mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.