Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Woodlake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sandwich, Illinois 60548
Saturday, April 11, 2009 14:50 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Numerous witnesses reported that the airplane was flying at a very low altitude just above tree top level as it flew over a small lake and golf course on an easterly heading. The witnesses reported that the engine was sputtering and not operating normally. The airplane hit the tops of some hardwood trees located at the eastern edge of the golf course. The airplane impacted a field in a steep nose down attitude and immediately burst into flames. The inspection of the airframe revealed no preexisting anomalies. The engine inspection revealed drive train continuity and compression on all cylinders. The accessories could not be tested due to impact forces and the post impact fire that consumed much of the engine accessories and airframe. Numerous hardwood tree branches were found at the impact site. Several open fields were located along the flight path that offered suitable landing sites for a forced landing, and that were closer than the field where the airplane was found. Toxicology results were consistent with use of Bupropion, a prescription antidepressant also used for smoking cessation. The medication does not impair flying performance, and though there is an increased risk of seizures with the medication, the circumstances of the accident were not consistent with a seizure event.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to execute an immediate forced landing to a suitable field and the engine's partial loss of power for an undetermined reason.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/11/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1450 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Sandwich |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 60548 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 413842N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0883906W |
| Event Location Airport | Woodlake Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IS65 |
| 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 | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 677 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1452 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ARR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 712 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.31 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26005 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA_AGL_ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 20 2009 2:38PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N87384 |
| NTSB Number | CEN09FA243 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Engineering and Research |
| Aircraft Model | 415C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 557 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1260 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 5 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1951 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Randall S Hougham |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2609 N 46th Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sandwich |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60548 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Randall S Hougham |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 2609 N 46th Rd |
| Operator City | Sandwich |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 60548 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | IS65 |
| Departure City | Sandwich |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1435 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Sandwich |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 20 2009 8:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| 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 | -- |