Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aurora Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Plano, Illinois 60545
Sunday, September 28, 2014 20:01 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On September 28, 2014, about 2001 central daylight time, a Cessna model T337G airplane, N37E, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and terrain during cruise flight near Plano, Illinois. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Inline Aviation, LTD, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that departed Litchfield Municipal Airport (3LF), Litchfield, Illinois, about 1855 and was destined for Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), Sugar Grove, Illinois.
According to preliminary air traffic control data, after departing 3LF, the flight proceeded on a direct course toward ARR and climbed to a cruise altitude of 7,500 feet mean sea level (msl). At 1954, the flight began a cruise-descent that continued until the end of available radar data at 2001. The pilot established radio communication with the Aurora Air Traffic Control Tower at 1951. The pilot was told to enter a left base for runway 27 and to report when the airplane was 2 miles from the airport. At 1959, the pilot reported being 10 miles from the airport and the tower controller asked the pilot to ident his transponder. The airplane was subsequently identified on radar at 1,800 feet msl. Available radar data indicated that the final radar return was recorded at 2001:59, about 0.4 miles southwest of the accident site, at 900 feet msl (about 250 feet above ground level).
The airplane impacted several 30-foot tall trees located on a ridgeline measuring 645 feet msl. All airframe structural components and flight control surfaces were located along the wreckage debris path. Both wings and tailbooms separated from the fuselage during the collision with the trees. The fuselage was located 475 feet northeast of the ridgeline in a cornfield. All observed structural component failures were consistent with overstress separation and there was no evidence of an inflight or postimpact fire. Flight control continuity could not be established due to the extent of the damage; however, all observed flight control system discontinuities were consistent with overstress. The flaps and landing gear were found in a fully retracted position. The forward engine had separated from the fuselage and was located 90 feet northeast of the main wreckage. The rear engine remained partially attached to its firewall. Both propellers had separated from their respective engine crankshafts and exhibited S-shape spanwise bending, blade twisting, and leading edge damage.
At 1952, the ARR automated surface observing system (ASOS) reported: calm wind, clear sky, 10 mile surface visibility, temperature 18 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of mercury.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/28/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 2001 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Plano |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 60545 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 413820N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0883252W |
| Event Location Airport | Aurora Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ARR |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 9 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 203 |
| Airport Elevation | 712 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1952 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 23 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ARR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 712 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 9 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KARR 290052Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 18/12 A3008 RM |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | Central Region Duty Officer, J |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 7 2014 10:19AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N37E |
| NTSB Number | CEN14FA522 |
| 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 | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | T337G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | P3370127 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4700 |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 20 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Inline Aviation, LTD |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Elgin |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 60123 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Inline Aviation, LTD |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Elgin |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 60123 |
| 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 | 3LF |
| Departure City | Litchfield |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1855 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ARR |
| Destination City | Sugar Grove |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 7 2014 10:19AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 6501 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |