Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frankfort, Illinois 60423
Friday, March 27, 1987 11:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS LOST AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DESCEND TO HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE OF 5000 FEET FROM EXCESSIVE CLIMB. HE WAS IN IFR CONDITIONS AT THE TIME. THE AIRFRAME BROKE APART, EMPENNAGE FIRST, DURING THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND DUE TO HIGH SPEED STRUCTURAL OVERLOAD. THE PILOT HAD JUST RECEIVED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING AND HAD APPROX TWO TENTHS OF AN HOUR OF UNSUPERVISED INSTRUMENT TIME ALL OF WHICH WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON THIS LAST FLIGHT. A WITNESS SAW THE ACFT FALL OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE OVERCAST. THE PLT THOUGHT HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE WAS 6000 FEET AND HAD TO BE ADVISED OF TRAFFIC AT 6000 FEET BY ATC. THE PLT RADIOED THAT HE FILED FOR 6000 FT BUT WOULD GO TO FIVE. THIS WAS THE LAST RADIO CONTACT BEFORE THE RADAR CONTACT WENT TO COAST MODE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/27/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FRANKFORT
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60423
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 3
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 192
Weather Observation Facility ID MDW
Elevation of weather observation facility 619
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1296
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 27 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1207
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34653
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N452BH
NTSB Number CHI87FA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 7440068
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Apr 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 114
Airframe Hours 2120
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES S. CLARK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 232 N. HARVEY AVE.
Aircraft Owner City OAK PARK
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60302
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MDW
Departure City CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1118
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IKK
Destination City KANKAKEE
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --