What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 1, 1998, at 2200 central daylight time, a Cessna 340A, N5340F, operated by a private pilot collided with lake Michigan while taking off on runway 18 (3,899' x 150') from the Merrill c. Meigs field (Meigs field), Chicago, Illinois. One passenger drowned as a result of the accident. The pilot and two other passengers received minor injuries. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll the engines decelerated. Shortly thereafter the engines accelerated. He reported there was not enough runway left to abort the takeoff so he continued; however, the airspeed was inadequate to maintain flight. The airplane came to rest inverted in lake Michigan, approx. 300' off of the departure end of runway 18. (-23) investigation revealed that the PIC uses less than recommended takeoff power to "save" his engines. During the takeoff roll, the PIC stated that he experienced a power loss, applied the brakes, but did not retard the throttles. After the power "recovered", he continued the takeoff. The airc raft departed the runway at low speed and landed inverted in lake Michigan. Only 3 of the 4 occupants escaped the wreckage. (.4) the pilot reported the airplane decelerated during the takeoff roll. He applied the brakes and as he advanced the throttles to full power the airplane accelerated. The airplane cleared the end of the runway then stalled into lake Michigan, flipped inverted and sank. One passenger reported that it felt as if someone put on the brakes. One passenger drowned. The pilot used 32' of manifold pressure for takeoff versus 37.3' as placarded. The pilot operating handbook lists normal takeoff speed as 91 KIAS, however the airplane was equipped with vortex generators. The pilot reported looking for 105 to 110 KIAS for takeoff. No evidence was found of the pilot having a multi-engine rating. No evidence of a mechanical failure/malfunction was found.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 1, 1998, AT 2200 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 340A, N5340F, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT COLLIDED WITH LAKE MICHIGAN WHILE TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 18 (3,899' X 150') FROM THE MERRILL C. MEIGS FIELD (MEIGS FIELD), CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ONE PASSENGER DROWNED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT AND TWO OTHER PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE ENGINES DECELERATED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINES ACCELERATED. HE REPORTED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH RUNWAY LEFT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF SO HE CONTINUED; HOWEVER, THE AIRSPEED WAS INADEQUATE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED IN LAKE MICHIGAN, APPROX. 300' OFF OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 18. (-23) INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PIC USES LESS THAN RECOMMENDED TAKEOFF POWER TO "SAVE" HIS ENGINES. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PIC STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS, APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT DID NOT RETARD THE THROTTLES. AFTER THE POWER "RECOVERED", HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRC RAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AT LOW SPEED AND LANDED INVERTED IN LAKE MICHIGAN. ONLY 3 OF THE 4 OCCUPANTS ESCAPED THE WRECKAGE. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND AS HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLES TO FULL POWER THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED. THE AIRPLANE CLEARED THE END OF THE RUNWAY THEN STALLED INTO LAKE MICHIGAN, FLIPPED INVERTED AND SANK. ONE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT IT FELT AS IF SOMEONE PUT ON THE BRAKES. ONE PASSENGER DROWNED. THE PILOT USED 32' OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE FOR TAKEOFF VERSUS 37.3' AS PLACARDED. THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK LISTS NORMAL TAKEOFF SPEED AS 91 KIAS, HOWEVER THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH VORTEX GENERATORS. THE PILOT REPORTED LOOKING FOR 105 TO 110 KIAS FOR TAKEOFF. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF THE PILOT HAVING A MULTI-ENGINE RATING. NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.