Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colona, Illinois 61241
Monday, June 25, 2007 8:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted terrain following a descent in a right turn through instrument meteorological conditions. The left and right seated airplane occupants were both non-instrument rated private pilots. An examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies which would have precluded normal airplane operations. The left seat pilot was at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is strongly associated with obesity and high blood pressure requiring multiple medications. Obstructive sleep apnea, if present and untreated, results in significant impairment and increased accident risk. The actual presence or possible role of possible OSA in this accident could not be conclusively determined, though such a disorder could have adversely affected the left seat pilot’s decision-making regarding initiating or continuing flight into deteriorating visibility and/or his responses to such conditions once he encountered them. The left seat pilot did not have a current medical certificate.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/2007
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 810
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Colona
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61241
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412932N
Event Location Longitude 0902103W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 752 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 253
Weather Observation Facility ID MLI
Elevation of weather observation facility 590
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KMLI 251252Z 00000KT 1/2SM R09/1800V2400FT FG OVC0
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23444
NTSB Notification Source
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2008 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office DuPage, IL, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8804H
NTSB Number CHI07FA182
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name North American
Aircraft Model Navion
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-804
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John A. Horn
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Cedar Falls
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50613
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 ALO
Departure City WATERLOO
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 27K
Destination City GEORGETOWN
Destination State KY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 14 2008 9:13AM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --