Greater Kankakee Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kankakee, Illinois 60901
Sunday, August 2, 2009 19:49 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The aircraft was observed flying low along a river about 30 to 40 feet above the water, when it impacted a telephone line that went across the river. First responders reported that the pilot had the smell of alcohol on his breath. The pilot had his blood drawn more than 3½ hours after the accident, and the laboratory results indicated 0.127 g/dL of ethanol. Examination and photographs of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies. FAA regulation 91.17 Alcohol or drugs, in part, stated, "(a)No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft - (1) Within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage; (2) While under the influence of alcohol; … or (4) While having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater in a blood or breath specimen."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the telephone line and his poor judgment to fly while under the influence of alcohol. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to the alcohol consumption.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1949
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Kankakee
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60901
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410417N
Event Location Longitude 0875046W
Event Location Airport Greater Kankakee Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID IKK
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 630
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1843 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID IKK
Elevation of weather observation facility 630
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KIKK 022343Z AUTO 22006KT 10SM CLR 23/13 A29
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26820
NTSB Notification Source FAA-DuPage FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 22 2010 12:23PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4526G
NTSB Number CEN09LA488
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIONTKOWSKI
Aircraft Model CHALLENGER
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CH2-1206-LSS-0111
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection May 28 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 70.6
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name PIONTKOWSKI JEFFERY J
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CHEBANSE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60922-5189
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name PIONTKOWSKI JEFFERY J
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City CHEBANSE
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 60922-5189
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 IKK
Departure City Kankakee
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code IKK
Destination City Kankakee
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 22 2010 6:36PM
User who most recently changed record male
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 --