Campbell Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grayslake, Illinois 60030
Friday, August 31, 2001 16:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The amateur built, experimental airplane was destroyed by impact forces and subsequent ground fire about 1 mile west of the destination airport. The airplane departed controlled flight prior to ground impact. A witness reported the airplane was flying at about 500 feet above ground level (agl) and was circling towards the airport when the airplane "barreled" left, recovered, and then the nose of the airplane went straight down. Another witness reported seeing the airplane circling before the airplane nose dived into the terrain. The wreckage path was limited to the initial point of impact. The leading edges of the left and right wings were crushed and buckled aft along their outboard wing spans. The post accident inspection of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies. The Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report prepared by the Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aeromedical Institute indicated that 0.019 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol (Marihuana) and 0.043 (ug/ml, ug/g) Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid (Marihuana) were detected in the pilot's blood.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane. A factor was the impairment due to marihuana.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Grayslake
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60030
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 8
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 788
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1656 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) 1496
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 12313
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 24 2002 3:20PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-DuPage FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N910RS
NTSB Number CHI01FA298
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Spears
Aircraft Model RV-6
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name David L. Spears
Aircraft Owner Street Address 926 Airport Rd.
Aircraft Owner City Roanoke
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76262
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure City Roanoke
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code C81
Destination City Grayslake
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 19 2002 1:16PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --