Prarie Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marseilles, Illinois 61341
Saturday, August 6, 1983 10:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS ON A PARACHUTE JUMPING MISSION. AFTER CLIMBING TO 9000 FT MSL, 4 SKY DIVERS JUMPED OUT & THE PLT BEGAN A DESCENT BACK TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS SEEN LEVEL AT APRX 500 FT AGL & IN THE APRX POSITION FOR A DOWNWIND LEG FOR A LEFT PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 36. ABOUT 1/2 MI NORTH OF THE NORMAL TURN POINT FOR THE BASE LEG, THE ACFT BEGAN A STEEP DESCENDING LEFT TURN. WITNESSES DESCRIBED A BANK ANGLE OF 45 TO 75 DEG & A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE OF 20 TO 30 DEG. ONE OF THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE BANK AND DESCENT ANGLES THEN BEGAN TO DECREASE, BUT AT IMPACT, THE NOSE WAS STILL LOW & THE BANK ANGLE WAS ABOUT 20 DEG. OBSERVERS SAW NO INDICATION OF PLT CONTROL MOVEMENT BEFORE IMPACT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF AN INFLT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION. THE PLT'S WIFE SAID THAT ONOCCASIONS, HE HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE HEADACHES, BUT NEVER TO AN ALARMING POINT. SHE REPORTED THAT HE TOOK ONLY ASPRIN FOR THE HEADACHES. PATHOLOGICAL & TOXICOLOGICAL EXAMS REFLECTED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT INCAPACTIATING PROBLEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MARSEILLES
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61341
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRARIE LAKE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 68IL
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 706
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 36
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 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) 1829
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22099
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 N6351A
NTSB Number CHI83FA365
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 33151
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 22 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 3502
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SEE NARRATIVE
Aircraft Owner Street Address SEE NARRATIVE
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PRARIE LAKE PARACENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PRAIRIE LAKE HUNT CLUB
Operator City MARSEILLES
Operator State IL
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
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 Unknown
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 36
Runway Length 2540
Runway Width 120
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --