Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belleville, Illinois 62225
Saturday, September 29, 2007 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The rental/instructional airplane was found with substantial damage during a post flight inspection by the airplane operator's maintenance personnel. On the day before the damage was discovered, two pilots, each of whom had separately flown the airplane, reported airplane discrepancies to maintenance personnel. The first pilot reported a discrepancy with the tire sidewall that he noted during his preflight inspection. The airplane was retuned to service after the wheel assembly was replaced and no further inspection was performed. The pilot then flew the airplane and returned without any further reported discrepancies. The second pilot reported a binding in the control column and could not reinstall the gust lock without difficulty during his preflight inspection. Maintenance personnel then grounded the airplane for the day and found damage to the airplane firewall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the design limits of the aircraft being exceeded by a previous pilot during an unknown phase of flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Belleville
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 62225
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383242N
Event Location Longitude 0895006W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23221
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 29 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 31 2008 11:52AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office STL FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65998
NTSB Number CHI08CA011
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17275944
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2045
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scott AFB Aero Club
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Belleville
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 62225
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KBLV
Departure City Belleville
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KBLV
Destination City Belleville
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 17 2007 1:59PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --