19980515009519A

Acft crashed under unk circumstances, all 4 POB suffered fatal inj, acft was destroyed. Lagranage, WI. (.19) on may 15, 1998, at 0910 central daylight time (CDT), a commander 114-B, N6059C, operated by an instrument rated private pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight break-up and collision with the ground. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was operating on an instrument flight plan. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The flight departed waukesha, Wisconsin, at 0844 CDT. Preliminary radar data showed the airplane was in cruise flight at 7,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) for about 6 minutes before descending to 4,500 feet MSL in about one minute. There was no more radar data available on N6059C after it descended through 4,500 feet MSL. The wreckage trail was about 2 statue miles in length. (-23) on may 15, 1998 at 0906 CDT, commander 114B, N6059C registered to quality machining, inc. and flown by steven m. daleo crashed at lagrange, WI after an inflight breakup. The pleasure flight was being flown on an IFR flight plan. The aircraft was destroyed and Mr. Daleo and his three passenge rs received fatal injuries. The flight originated at madison, WI with an intermediate stop at waukesha, WI with the destination being columbus, OH. The flight departed waukesha, WI on may 15, 1998 at 0850 CDT. (.4) on may 18, 1998, at 1351 central daylight time (CDT), a bell 206L-1, N41BL, operated by a commercial pilot, while maneuvering over a residential area, departed controlled flight, impacting into a garage in arlington heights, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The business flight was being conducted under 14 CFR part 91. No flight plan was on file. The helicopter was destroyed and the pilot and three passengers on board were fatally injured. The flight originated at waukegan, Illinois, at 1248 CDT. The helicopter had been chartered to carry a professional photographer and two staff members of the chicago futabakai school on a local flight over the arlington heights area, for the purpose of photographing the futabakai school from the air. The owner said that the helicopter took off from in front of his company's hangar, on the waukegan municipal airport, waukegan, Illinois. At 1302 CDT, the pilot contacted the palwaukee air traffic control tower (ATCT), wheeling, Illinois, and reported being 6 miles northwest of the palwaukee airport at 1,500 feet MSL. The pilot requested to operate north and south of the arlington race track in arlington heights. The palwaukee ATCT issued the current altimeter setting and instructed the pilot to report when reaching the site. At 1320 CDT, the pilot reported 3 miles west of the airport and below 1,500 feet MSL. At 1334 CDT, the pilot reported to palwaukee ATCT that he was proceeding south and requested to talk to chicago o'hare ATCT. The frequency change was approved. At 1337 CDT, the pilot contacted o'hare ATCT and requested clearance into the class b airspace. The pilot advised the tower that he would operate at or below 1,000 feet. Clearance was given, and the pilot was instructed to advise when the helicopter was on station. At 1339 CDT, the pilot reported on station. At 1344:07 CDT, the chicago terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facility, at elgin, Illinois, identified the helicopter's VFR beacon code, approximately 4.37 miles northwest of chicago o'hare international airport. The helicopter was at an altitude of 500 feet above ground lev el (AGL), on a 197-degree heading, and a ground speed of 70 knots. At 1346:07 CDT, chicago TRACON observed the helicopter turn to a 323-degree heading, at 300 feet AGL and a ground speed of 70 knots. The helicopter was 5.24 miles northwest of chicago o'hare airport. At 1347 CDT, the pilot reported to the o'hare ATCT that the helicopter was clear of the class b airspace. The tower terminated radar services and approved a frequency change. At 1347:26 CDT, the helicopter turned northeast on a 025-degree heading. The helicopter's altitude was approximately 600 feet AGL, and its ground speed was 80 knots. At 1348:49 CDT, the helicopter initiated a turn to a heading of 256-degrees. The helicopter's altitude at this time was approximately 500 feet AGL, and its ground speed was 70 knots. The last radar position that chicago TRACON plotted on the helicopter was at 1350:17 CDT. The helicopter was 6.10 miles northwest of chicago o'hare airport, heading 234-degrees, at 400 feet AGL, and a ground speed of 60 knots. A witness observed the helicopter from his 14th floor, west- facing apartment, located approximately 1/3 mile east-northeast of the accident site. The witness said that the hel icopter flew over his apartment building within 100 feet. He watched the helicopter travel on a southwesterly heading away from the building in a level attitude. The witness estimated the helicopter to be approximately 350 feet above the ground. The witness observed the helicopter begin a slow banked turn to the left toward a southerly heading. The helicopter banked through 30 degrees up to 90 degrees of bank angle. The witness said the helicopter then pitched down and descended in a 70 to 80 degree nose-down pitch angle. The witness lost sight of the helicopter when it descended below the tree tops. The witness said that when the helicopter went over his building, he did not see any smoke trailing the helicopter. He also said that the helicopter noises sounded normal. Another witness observed the helicopter from his 15th floor, west-facing apartment in the same building. The witness said that as the helicopter was going to the west, it was getting closer to the tree tops. The witness observed the helicopter turn south. The witness said that the helicopter "banked real hard [to the] south, so that the [main rotor] blades were perpendicular to the ground. The helicopter went straig ht down in a dive, nose first." The witness said that he was looking down on the helicopter from his vantage point, and estimated that the helicopter was only 15 feet above the tree tops when it dove in. A third witness observed the helicopter from his second floor east-facing office, 1/4 mile west of the accident site. The witness said he saw the helicopter heading south very slowly. The helicopter then banked up on it's left side. The witness said that from his vantage point, he could see the bottom of the helicopter and make out both skids. The witness said that he lost sight of the helicopter behind some trees. At 1351 CDT, the chicago northwest central dispatch system received a 9-1-1 call that a helicopter had crashed into a residence at 311 south fernandez street, arlington heights, Illinois.