Campbell Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grayslake, Illinois 60030
Saturday, September 19, 1987 23:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT LANDED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ON A DARK NIGHT WHEN THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE INTENDED LANDING RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN SOFT TURF AND DURING SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL, TURNED RIGHT AND NOSED DOWN INTO A RAVINE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE ONLY THREE RUNWAY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THAT HIS LANDING LIGHT DID NOT HELP IN FINDING THE RUNWAY. HE ALSO STATED THAT HIS DECISION MAKING PROCESS WAS DEGRADED AS A RESULT OF FATIGUE AND STRESS CREATED WHEN HE INITIALLY SPENT ABOUT HALF AN HOUR TRYING TO LOCATE THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2315
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAYSLAKE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60030
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CAMPBELL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C81
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 787
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 667
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1785
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35188
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8315S
NTSB Number CHI87LA218
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-8131044
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 3 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARDINAL AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Owner Street Address CAMPBELL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City GRAYSLAKE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60030
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 BMG
Departure City BLOOMINGTON
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2045
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code C81
Destination City GRAYSLAKE
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 27
Runway Length 3250
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --