Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Evanston, Illinois 60204
Thursday, December 12, 1985 9:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON CLIMBOUT ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN IN VMC CONDITIONS WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED. A RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED AND THE ENGINE RAN FOR A MINUTE OR LESS. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER LAKE MICHIGAN AND HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REACH THE SHORELINE. A SUCCESSFUL WATER LANDING WAS MADE AND THE OCCUPANTS WERE PICKED UP BY THE COAST GUARD UNHARMED. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FRACTURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/12/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City EVANSTON
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60204
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
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 900 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID NBU
Elevation of weather observation facility 657
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2939
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 12 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31875
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4380A
NTSB Number CHI86FA111
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-46-310P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46-310P
Aircraft Serial Number 468508016
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
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 Nov 13 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 478
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THEODORE J. ADAMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 930 GARY COURT
Aircraft Owner City WHEATON
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60187
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PLANE MASTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DUPAGE COUNTY AIRPORT
Operator City WEST CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60185
Operator Code CFXA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DPA
Departure City WEST CHICAGO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 905
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 7D2
Destination City TROY
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --