Palwaukee Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wheeling, Illinois 60090
Tuesady, October 18, 1994 16:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS LANDING IN A LIGHT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE UPWIND LANDING GEAR TIRE FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE DOWNWIND MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE NOSE GEAR TIRE TOUCHED DOWN AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT VERY RAPIDLY ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY EDGE, ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOD AND CARTWHEELED TO THE LEFT. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STEERING AND BRAKES ARE HYDRAULICALLY ACTIVATED. IF THE BALL OF THE FOOT IS ABOVE THE RUDDER PEDALS PIVOT POINT THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING IS ACTIVATED AND PRE-LOADS THE SYSTEM. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSEWHEEL'S CENTERING DEVICE IS DEACTIVATED. THE PRE-LOADED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN THE STEERING SYSTEM WILL MAKE THE NOSEWHEEL TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PEDAL THAT APPLIED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE RUDDER PEDAL PIVOT POINT HEIGHT ABOVE THE COCKPIT FLOOR BY THE DESIGN PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WHEELING
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60090
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALWAUKEE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PWK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 90
Airport Elevation 647
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1630 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID PWK
Elevation of weather observation facility 620
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1231
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1640
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62V
NTSB Number CHI95LA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name QUESTAIR
Aircraft Model VENTURE
Aircraft Series Identifier VENTURE
Aircraft Serial Number 102
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name QUESTAIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3800 MCAREE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WAUKEGAN
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60087
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name QUESTAIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3930 VENTURA DR.
Operator City ARLINGTON HTS.
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60004
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 No
Departure Airport Code UGN
Departure City WAUKEGAN
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 16
Runway Length 5137
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --