Cambell Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grayslake, Illinois 60030
Monday, May 12, 1997 21:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that on his fourth landing, during a series of night touch and go's, he 'flared the plane and it 'floated' for a long time.' With the end of the runway approaching the airplane departed the runway onto a taxiway. The pilot wrote 'I tried to turn into the taxiway at the runway's end, but was going too fast to make the turn.' The aircraft exited the taxiway, coming to rest in a 'nose down' attitude in a small canal off the end of the runway and taxiway. After exiting the airplane the pilot reported 'I noticed a strong wind directly from the east and observed the wind sock standing out with a bend of approximately 45 degrees.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's misjudgment of the aircraft's speed and runway distance available. Factors were an off-field ditch and a tailwind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAYSLAKE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60030
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CAMBELL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C81
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 787
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
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 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) 115
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1997 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 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8309L
NTSB Number CHI97LA130
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8190112
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Apr 11 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 4300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES W. ZUBERT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 527 BROWN STREET
Aircraft Owner City WAUCONDA
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60084
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CARDINAL AIRCRAFT SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address CAMBELL AIRPORT, PO BOX 324
Operator City GRAYSLAKE
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60030
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 C81
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2010
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 27
Runway Length 3270
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --