Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Abraham Lincoln Capital Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Springfield, Illinois 62707
Thursday, December 20, 2007 15:17 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed on the cross-country flight under visual flight rules and obtained flight following from several air traffic control facilities located along the intended route of flight. While enroute, he obtained an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance after encountering instrument conditions at 2,500 feet. The accident flight was provided radar vectors to intercept the instrument landing system (ILS) runway 4 approach for the intended destination. Radar track data showed the accident airplane passed through the localizer centerline at 2,400 feet and then it made a rapid right turn back toward the centerline. The airplane then performed a series of rapid descents and climbs, and several course reversals over a period of 75 seconds. During this time period, the pilot reported having an unspecified problem and his last communication was "I can go out now ... flying eastbound." A witness reported seeing the accident airplane flying about 20 feet above the ground before it entered a steep climb. He then heard an increase in engine noise, which was followed by a loud boom. The airplane impacted about 3.5 miles outside the locator outer marker along the localizer centerline. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination airport with a ground visibility of 2-1/2 miles in mist and a 500 foot overcast ceiling. Based on available information, the pilot had not recorded an instrument approach in over 6 months and his last flight review was completed more than 24 months before the accident. No additional dual flight instruction or instrument proficiency checks were uncovered during the investigation. A review of the maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence of a pre-impact mechanical malfunction.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of control during an instrument approach due to spatial disorientation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/20/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1517 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Springfield |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 62707 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394411N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0894816W |
| Event Location Airport | Abraham Lincoln Capital Arpt |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KSPI |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 598 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1529 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 41 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSPI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 598 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 500 |
| 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) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.84 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26688 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Federal Aviation Administratio |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 20 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 6 2010 2:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Federal Aviation Administration - Springfield FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N17784 |
| NTSB Number | CHI08FA053 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | V35B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D-10007 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 26 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2431 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ray L. Wright Construction Equipment Sales |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 675 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rochester |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 62563-0675 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Ray L. Wright Construction Equipment Sales |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. Box 675 |
| Operator City | Rochester |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 62563-0675 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | I69 |
| Departure City | Batavia |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KSPI |
| Destination City | Springfield |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - Initial approach fix (IAF) to final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 4 2010 12:42AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |