# Accident 19980801019089A: Cessna 340A, Chicago, IL, August 1, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 1, 1998, 22:00 local time - Place: Chicago, IL - Airport: Merrill C Meigs - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.8691° N, 87.6191° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8691&lon=-87.6191&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5340F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5340F-2001-04-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 340A (registry code 2076405, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340a) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 340A - Reported engine: CONT TSIO520* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 1,600 total, 500 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98FA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA296) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980801019089A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.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. ## 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 CHI98FA296](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA296), Aug 2, 1998: Cessna 340A (N5340F), Chicago, IL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's improper use of the throttle in not using full power for takeoff, the pilot's failure to use proper aborted takeoff procedures, and the inadvertant stall/mush. A factor associated with… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.