Chicago Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wheeling, Illinois 60090
Wednesday, April 11, 2007 11:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that upon reaching approximately 75 knots during the takeoff roll, he felt a surge from the left engine. He noted that the "surging continued and positive directional control could not be regained," at which point he closed the throttles and elected to abort the takeoff. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control by using differential braking and rudder inputs. The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway and impacted an airport sign, causing the nose landing gear to collapse, before coming to rest. Post accident testing of the left propeller governor unit revealed that the component pressure gain was approximately one-half of the manufacturer's specification, resulting in the unstable engine operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Partial failure of the left engine propeller governor during the takeoff ground roll. Factors included that directional control was not possible by the pilot which subsequently led to a collision with an airport sign.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Wheeling
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60090
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 420651N
Event Location Longitude 0875405W
Event Location Airport Chicago Executive
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PWK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 647
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1119 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PWK
Elevation of weather observation facility 647
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 26
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.53
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report SPECI KPWK 111619Z 09011G26KT 3/4SM -SN BR BKN007
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23092
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 11 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2008 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-DuPage FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N125WG
NTSB Number CHI07LA108
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Swearingen
Aircraft Model SA-226T
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number T250
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6027
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Good Aviation LTD
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Texarkana
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75501
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PWK
Departure City Wheeling
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SHV
Destination City Shreveport
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 12 2008 2:40PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --