Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Round Lake, Illinois 60073
Monday, June 1, 1992 8:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FARM FIELD. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN FLAMES WERE PRESENT IN THE COCKPIT. AFTER THE LANDING, THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE, WITH MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO BURN. A SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL THE SOURCE WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED. THE PILOT DESCRIBED THE ORIGIN TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE; HOWEVER, DURING THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES HE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO DISENGAGE THE MASTER SWITCH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, AND THE FIRE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR REASONS UNDETERMINED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ROUND LAKE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60073
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 667
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 2358
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N812PC
NTSB Number CHI92LA160
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 Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 76-80250
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 3906
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BITTON, DANIEL A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1218 BUNKER STREET
Operator City WOODSTOCK
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60098
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 10C
Departure City WONDER LAKE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UGN
Destination City WAUKEGAN
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --