Woodlake Landing Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sandwich, Illinois 60548
Wednesday, August 3, 1994 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT REPORTED HE NOTICED A DROP IN RPM WHEN HE REDUCED POWER TO THE CRUISE SETTING. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT HE HAD JUST DEPARTED AND MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS DISTRACTED AND BECAME CONCERNED WITH THE ENGINE RPM, AND FAILED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRPLANE SLID DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CAUGHT FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the pilot to lower the landing gear. Factors related to the accident were the loss of engine rpm, for undetermined reasons, and the diverted attention of the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SANDWICH
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60548
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WOODLAKE LANDING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C48
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 677
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1045 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID ARR
Elevation of weather observation facility 706
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1800
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35E
NTSB Number CHI94LA264
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model D17R
Aircraft Series Identifier D17R
Aircraft Serial Number D-17R-167
Certified Max Gross Weight 4250
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection May 31 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 2090
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER B. THOMAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 903 DODSON MILL RD.
Aircraft Owner City PILOT MOUNTAIN
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27041
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code C48
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1125
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MWK
Destination City MOUNT AIRY
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 2988
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --