Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Barrington Hill, Illinois 60010
Tuesady, April 14, 1998 16:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he began his takeoff at the north end of a farm field with rolling terrain. He said the airplane lifted off after a 1,000-foot ground roll. When the airplane had climbed to a pilot-estimated 150-2oo-feet above the ground the pilot said the airplane the airplane '...started to fall out of the sky... .' The STOL-equipped airplane collided with telephone wires, trees and the ground. The flight instructor-rated passenger confirmed the pilot s version of what occurred. The rear seat passenger said the airplane lost lift when it turned to the left as it approached rising terrain. The passenger said the airplane crashed shortly thereafter. The on-scene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or powerplant that would prevent normal flight. Tire tracks in the 6 to 8-inch high grass showed a takeoff roll of about 1,500-feet. The path through the tree's that the airplane collided with was 90-degrees to the tire tracks.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall/mush and subsequent in-flight collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BARRINGTON HILL
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60010
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 4
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1545 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 705
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 383
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 14 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2259
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6300E
NTSB Number CHI98LA122
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17246400
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Nov 16 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 133
Airframe Hours 4583
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TED ZUHLSDORF
Aircraft Owner Street Address 509 1/2 S. FRONT ST.
Aircraft Owner City MANKATO
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56001
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1650
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --