Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Odell, Illinois 60460
Sunday, February 18, 1996 19:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a preflight weather briefing for a cross-country flight at night, the noninstrument-rated pilot was advised by the briefer that 'VFR flight not recommended,' but the pilot elected to proceed on the flight. There was evidence that during the flight, he encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Low visibility and snow showers were reported in the vicinity of the accident site. Subsequently, the airplane crashed. Crush areas on the fuselage indicated the airplane was in about a 30 degree left bank, nose low attitude, during impact. The main wreckage came to rest about 150 yards from the initial impact point. There were no known witnesses to the accident; the wreckage was discovered the next morning by a local resident. No preimpact mechanical malfunction of the aircraft or engine was found during examination of the wreckage. During a pathological examination, the medical examiner noted that 'an area of the (pilot's) heart was hyperemic, grossly, and showed ischemic change with coagulation necrosis by microscopic study.' However, there was no verification that the pilot had experienced a heart attack.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and subsequent loss of aircraft control, probably due to spatial disorientation of the pilot. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, reduced visibility due to the weather condition (snow), and the pilot's lack of instrument experience.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/18/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1900 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | ODELL |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 60460 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | 0 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Moderate |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 654 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 19 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 930 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 9:50AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3243Y |
| NTSB Number | CHI96FA094 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 182 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 182 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18254243 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 24 1995 12:00AM |
| 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 | JOHN KUZELKA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6N141 FAIRWAY LANE |
| Aircraft Owner City | ITASCA |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60143 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | JERRY A. COLLINS |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 165 DEER GROVE LANE |
| Operator City | BARRINGTON |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 60010 |
| 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 | BMI |
| Departure City | BLOOMINGTON |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PWK |
| Destination City | WHEELING |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent - uncontrolled |
| 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 | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |