Robert Hughes Farm Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woodstock, Illinois 60098
Monday, November 24, 1997 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he was en route to Harvard, Illinois, in the vicinity of an airstrip, when the airstrip's owner contacted the pilot over the radio and invited him to land. The pilot said that he had overflown the airstrip on previous occasions and knew that it was long enough for him to land, but he was unaware of any obstacles in the vicinity of the airstrip. On short final, the pilot saw some powerlines crossing the approach end of the airstrip. The pilot tried to fly under them, but the leading edge of the airplane's vertical stabilizer impacted a wire. The airplane yawed, pitched up slightly, then dropped to the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to see-and-avoid the powerlines on short final. The location of the powerlines was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/24/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City WOODSTOCK
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60098
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROBERT HUGHES FARM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 868
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 81
Weather Observation Facility ID UGN
Elevation of weather observation facility 727
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 643
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 24 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1948
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49908
NTSB Number CHI98LA044
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15281386
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 6202
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOLLIS KING & MARK MCCORMICK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 318 N. ROSE FARM ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WOODSTOCK
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60098
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 No
Departure Airport Code DPA
Departure City WEST CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 18
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --