# Accident 19980412006509A: Extra EA300, Chenoa, IL, April 12, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 12, 1998, 17:45 local time
- Place: Chenoa, IL
- Airport: Thacker Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7398° N, 88.7096° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7398&lon=-88.7096&mi=10
- Aircraft: N301NL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N301NL-1998-08-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Extra Flugzeugbau EA-300 (registry code 70218DI, https://openairdocs.org/model/extra-flugzeugbau-ea-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EXTRA EA300
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 600 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA121) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980412006509A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DURING PRACTICE AEROBATIC MANUEVERS LOST CONTROL OF EXTRA. TAIL HIT GROUND ON PULLOUT FROM MANEUVER. (.4)A PILOT WITH AEROBATIC EXPERIENCE WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE MANEUVERING PRIOR TO IMPACT.  SHE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS 'KICKING AROUND FOR THE TURN-AROUND FOR A KNIFE-EDGE SPIN (IDENTICAL ENTRY AS A HAMMERHEAD MANEUVER). EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL.'  THE WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERING FROM THIS MANEUVER AND INITIATED A 1/4 ROLL (DOWN) TO THE LEFT.  THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT, 'THE PLANE GOT LOWER AND LOWER, CLOSER TO THE GROUND.  I COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS A LAST MINUTE POSITIVE PITCH CHANGE.  I SAW HIM IMPACT THE GROUND FLAT.'  THE PILOT WAS FOUND CONSCIOUS.  THE WITNESS REPORTED, 'HE WAS AWARE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIM.  HE EXPLAINED [TO] ME ON THE SPOT THAT HE G-LOCKED (GRAY-OUT) DURING THE PULLOUT OF THE MANEUVER... .'  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A LACK OF FOOD AND WATER ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, IN ADDITION TO FATIGUE, CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.        (-23) N301NL, AN EXTRA EA-300, WAS CONDUCTING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS WITHIN 4 NAUTICAL MILES OF A FEDERAL AIRWAY WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.  THE PILOT H                                                 AS BEEN UNABLE TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH THIS OFFICE DUE TO THE SERIOUS INJURIES HE SUSTAINED IN THE MISHAP. WITNESSES HAVE STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD INDICATED, AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THAT HE MAY HAVE BLACKED OUT BRIEFLY DURING A MANEUVER DUE TO "G-LOADING".  UPON RECOVERING FROM THE "G-LOCK", THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PULL OUT OF A DIVE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.  THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND SKIPPED APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET OVER A ROAD AND INTO ANOTHER FARM FIELD.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEG, BROKEN ARM, BROKEN RIB, BROKEN BACK, AND SEVERE LACERATIONS TO THE HEAD AREA.  HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DISCUSS THE MATTER WITH INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE AND INTERVIEW ATTEMPTS WILL BE ONGOING AS THE PILOT RECOVERS FROM HIS INJURIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA121), Apr 12, 1998: Extra Flugzeugbau EA-300 (N301NL), Chenoa, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot experienced GLOC (G induced loss of consciousness) while performing an aerobatic maneuver. Fatigue was a factor.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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