# Accident 19990805010779A: Piper PA28R200, Grays Lake, IL, August 5, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 5, 1999 - Place: Grays Lake, IL - Damage: Damage unknown - Location: 42.3405° N, 88.0310° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3405&lon=-88.0310&mi=10 - Aircraft: N56718, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N56718-2003-10-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99FA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA278) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990805010779A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT STRUCK A POWR LINE AND CRASHED WHILE ON APPROACH, THERE ARE 2 REPORTED FATALITIES AND A POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MAY BE 2 MORE FATALITIES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) PIPER PA-28R-200, N56718, ALLEDGEDLY DEPARTED LAKE LAWN AIRPORT, DELAVAN, WI (C59) ON A RETURN TRIP TO CAMPBELL AIRPORT, GRAYSLAKE, IL (C81. N56718 EXPERIENCED AN INFLIGHT ENGINE MALFUNCTION AND STRUCK HIGH TENSION POWER LINES WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE ACCIDENT WAS FATAL TO ALL FOUR OCCUPANTS AND N56718 WAS DESTROYED. (.19) ON AUGUST 5, 1999, AT 2145 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28R-200, N56718, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN 3/4 OF A MILE SOUTHWEST OF CAMPBELL AIRPORT, GRAYSLAKE, ILLINOIS. THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, PILOT RATED PASSENGER, AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED LAKE LAWN AIRPORT, DELAVAN, WISCONSIN, AT TIME UNKNOWN. THE AIRPLANE FUSELAGE, TAIL SECTION, AND RIGHT WING CAME TO REST 189 FEET NORTH OF AND 92 FEET WEST T OF A TOWER SUPPORTING HIGH VOLTAGE WIRES. THIS TOWER WAS LOCATED AT LATITUDE 42 DEGREES 18.799' N, AND LONGITUDE 088 DEGREES 04.895' W. THE LEFT WING WAS FOUND AT LATITUDE 42 DEGREES 18.815' N, AND LONGITUDE 088 DEGREES 04.947' W. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS CRUSHED REARWARD FROM THE LEADING EDGE TO THE SPAR. THE LEFT WING EXHIBITED A COVERING OF A SOOT LIKE SUBSTANCE. THE LEFT MAIN TIRE WAS FOUND CHARRED UNDER THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT HAD A COMMERCIAL PILOT RATING AND INSTRUMENT RATING. HE HELD A SECOND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. HE HAD A LIMITATION STATING THAT HE MUST WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES WHILE ACTING AS A PILOT. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER HAD A PRIVATE PILOT RATING. THE PRIVATE PILOT HELD A THIRD CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. AT 2153, THE PALWAUKEE AIRPORT, WHEELING, ILLINOIS OBSERVATION WAS: WIND 160 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS; VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES; SKY CONDITION CLEAR; TEMPERATURE 18 DEGREES C; DEW POINT 13 DEGREES C; ALTIMETER 30.00 INCHES OF MERCURY. THE TOWER WAS FOUND WITH ONE OF ITS CABLES TORN 20 FEET WEST OF ITS LOCATION. ANOTHER CABLE ATTACHED TO THAT TOWER WAS FOUND WITH A NICK 25 FEET WEST OF THE TOWER. AN ON SCENE INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT T HERE WAS CONTINUITY OF ALL CONTROL SURFACES. A FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THERE WAS ENGINE CONTINUITY. AN AUTOPSY WAS CONDUCTED AND TOXICOLOGICAL SAMPLES TAKEN FOR EVALUATION. ## 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 CHI99FA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99FA278), Aug 6, 1999: Piper PA-28R-200 (N56718), Grayslake, IL, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot not maintaining altitude and clearance. Factors were the light condition of night, the pilot's lack of recent experience in night operations, and the transmission wire. ## Other reports on N56718 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19830917065899I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830917065899I), Sep 17, 1983: Piper PA28R200 (N56718), West Chicago, IL, Minor damage. Inadvertently retracted gear on rollout. Backup gear extender leaking through the sensing diaphragm. - [Incident 19820412022729I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820412022729I), Apr 12, 1982: Piper PA28R200 (N56718), Dalavan, WI, Minor damage. Right main and nose gear collapsed on landing roll. Found landing gear out of rig, causing unsafe lockdown. 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.