Earl Air Ranchette Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erie, Illinois 61250
Sunday, June 28, 1992 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED HE MADE AN EFFORT TO IDENTIFY POWERLINES ON THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY HE WAS GOING TO LAND ON. HE STATED HE DID NOT SEE ANY WIRES DURING THE TIME HE FLEW A BASE LEG AND FINAL APPROACH. WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THE PILOT BECAME AWARE OF THE WIRES AND APPLIED BACK PRESSURE IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE WIRES. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE WIRES AND DESCENDED, UNCONTROLLED, ONTO THE CLEARWAY AREA WHICH PRECEDED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE 30 FOOT HIGH WIRES WERE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE POLES AND WIRES DID NOT HAVE HAZARD MARKINGS. THE WIRES HAD A COLORATION THAT BLENDED INTO THE TERRAIN THE PILOT WOULD SEE AS HE APPROACHED THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/28/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ERIE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61250
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 EARL AIR RANCHETTE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RLA
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 600
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1634 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID SQI
Elevation of weather observation facility 647
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) 29
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1746
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46996
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 N3195T
NTSB Number CHI92LA192
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 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 177-00495
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 2379
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAPLE CITY FLYING CLUB, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 537 WEST ELK
Aircraft Owner City GENESEO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61254
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAPLE CITY FLYING CLUB, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 537 WEST ELK
Operator City GENESEO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 61254
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 IS37
Departure City GENESEO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1455
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2300
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --