Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peotone, Illinois 60468
Sunday, July 16, 2000 12:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to a statement by the pilot, 'Departed runway 27 for general test flight. Made several circuits of the pattern. Left the pattern to climb up higher. Upon turning to return to the airport I experienced a partial loss of power. Unable to hold altitude and attempting to get back to the approach end of 27, I landed in a corn field.' Using the Midway Airport temperature of 72 degrees and a dew point of 68, the aircraft was flying in the possibility of 'serious icing' on the Icing Probability Chart. A post accident investigation found that the aircraft had no provisions for the removal of carburetor ice. The pilot indicated that he had two hours in the accident aircraft's make and model.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the carburetor icing conditions and the fact that the aircraft was not equipped with carburetor heat protection. A factor to the accident was the crops.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PEOTONE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60468
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
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 750
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MDW
Elevation of weather observation facility 620
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1625
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) 512
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N317LS
NTSB Number CHI00LA201
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 Witlock
Aircraft Model CIRCA-NIEUPORT 12
Aircraft Series Identifier CIRCA-NIEU
Aircraft Serial Number 0079
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 2
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DALE WHITLOCK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1136 SCOTT AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO HIEGHTS
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60411
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KARL HENNING
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11301 71ST STREET
Operator City BURR RIDGE
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60525
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City PEOTONE
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 1300
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --