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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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October 23, 1986 · Cessna 441 · N241FW

West Chicago, IL

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 23, 1986
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
West Chicago, IL
Aircraft
Cessna 441
Tail Number
N241FW
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
CHI87FA009

THE PLT (A PART TIME EMPLOYEE OF THE OWNER) WAS FERRYING THE ACFT FOR MAINTENANCE. WITNESSES, WHO SAW THE PLT BFR TAKE- OFF, NOTED THAT HIS SPEECH WAS SLURRED & THAT HE SEEMED ANGRY BECAUSE A TUG WOULD NOT START. ONE WITNESS CHARACTERIZED HIM AS BEING 'VERY MAD' & SAID HIS FACE WAS 'FLUSHED RED.' THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO TAKEOFF IN A HI NOSE-UP ATTITUDE & CLIMB ABOUT 500 TO 1000 FT BFR TURNING TO THE SW & LEVELING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THEN IT CRASHED & BURNED APRX 1-1/2 MI SSW OF THE ARPT WHILE ON A HDG OF NE. IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG IN A SLIGHTLY LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA THAT WAS APRX 600 FT LONG & ABOUT 45 FT WIDE AT THE WIDEST POINT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ENGS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FND. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE PLT'S LIVER TISSUE FLUID SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.226%.

Full Narrative

THE PLT (A PART TIME EMPLOYEE OF THE OWNER) WAS FERRYING THE ACFT FOR MAINTENANCE. WITNESSES, WHO SAW THE PLT BFR TAKE- OFF, NOTED THAT HIS SPEECH WAS SLURRED & THAT HE SEEMED ANGRY BECAUSE A TUG WOULD NOT START. ONE WITNESS CHARACTERIZED HIM AS BEING 'VERY MAD' & SAID HIS FACE WAS 'FLUSHED RED.' THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO TAKEOFF IN A HI NOSE-UP ATTITUDE & CLIMB ABOUT 500 TO 1000 FT BFR TURNING TO THE SW & LEVELING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THEN IT CRASHED & BURNED APRX 1-1/2 MI SSW OF THE ARPT WHILE ON A HDG OF NE. IMPACT OCCURRED WHILE THE ACFT WAS DSCNDG IN A SLIGHTLY LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA THAT WAS APRX 600 FT LONG & ABOUT 45 FT WIDE AT THE WIDEST POINT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ENGS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FND. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE PLT'S LIVER TISSUE FLUID SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.226%.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:51 CDT
Nearest AirportDUPAGE (1nm SW)
Runway28
Runway Length4000 ft
Runway Width75 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 441
Tail NumberN241FW
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsAiresearch · TPE 331-8-403 · Turboprop · 635
Seats10

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 41 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind230° @ 5 kt
Visibility2 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 1600 ft
Temperature / Dew Point57 / 54
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time13:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data