Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Malta, Illinois 60150
Sunday, February 22, 1998 10:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness on the ground observed the two airplanes approaching his farm from the northeast. He said that the two airplanes were just about overhead when the airplane on the right [north], the one slightly aft of the other airplane, drifted into the other airplane. The witness said that he heard a 'pop,' and then watched the airplanes come down. The witness lost sight of both airplanes as they went behind a line of trees running along the south side of his farmhouse. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot of the other aircraft failure to maintain adequate clearance.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/22/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MALTA
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60150
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 93
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 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) 299
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 22 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1137
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N38NL N43804
NTSB Number CHI98FA096A CHI98FA096B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WASIELAK STANEK
Aircraft Model SONERAI II L SONERAI II LTS
Aircraft Series Identifier SONERAI II SONERAI II
Aircraft Serial Number HO617280 34LTS
Certified Max Gross Weight 785 1150
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes Yes
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 9 1994 12:00AM Apr 20 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 261 61
Airframe Hours 534 338
ELT Installed No Yes
ELT Activated Unknown No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name LOUIS NOVAK JAMES FRANK STANEK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 341 N. FRANZEN STREET 627 N. BEVERLY
Aircraft Owner City BENSENVILLE ARLINGTON HGTS.
Aircraft Owner State IL IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60106 60004
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code LL53 LL53
Departure City ELGIN ELGIN
Departure State IL IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015 1015
Departure Time Zone CST CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --