What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23)On 05/19/2000, Piper Aerostar aircraft N985JL, operated by usa charter (U9CA), hit some tree tops during takeoff from danvilla Illinois (dnv) ru nway 16. The aircraft departed dnv enroute to flint, Michigan (fnt) at approx. 0241 CST with only the pilot onboard. He reported a transponder problem and returned to dnv making a missed approach due to poor visibility. Then he decided to continue the flight to fnt, but declared an emergency and diverted to lafayette, in (laf) with an engine running hot. He diverted to indianapolis (ind) due to weather conditions at laf. He reported that the engine problem was fixed and landed at ind without incident at 0811Z. The aircraft showed signs of tree debris on both cowling, the LH oil cooler was almost cover with small tree leaf. The nose landing and taxi light cover was broken due to the impact also showed signs of tree leaves and small braches.
As the FAA filed it
(-23)ON 05/19/2000, PIPER AEROSTAR AIRCRAFT N985JL, OPERATED BY USA CHARTER (U9CA), HIT SOME TREE TOPS DURING TAKEOFF FROM DANVILLA ILLINOIS (DNV) RU NWAY 16. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED DNV ENROUTE TO FLINT, MICHIGAN (FNT) AT APPROX. 0241 CST WITH ONLY THE PILOT ONBOARD. HE REPORTED A TRANSPONDER PROBLEM AND RETURNED TO DNV MAKING A MISSED APPROACH DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. THEN HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT TO FNT, BUT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERTED TO LAFAYETTE, IN (LAF) WITH AN ENGINE RUNNING HOT. HE DIVERTED TO INDIANAPOLIS (IND) DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AT LAF. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND LANDED AT IND WITHOUT INCIDENT AT 0811Z. THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED SIGNS OF TREE DEBRIS ON BOTH COWLING, THE LH OIL COOLER WAS ALMOST COVER WITH SMALL TREE LEAF. THE NOSE LANDING AND TAXI LIGHT COVER WAS BROKEN DUE TO THE IMPACT ALSO SHOWED SIGNS OF TREE LEAVES AND SMALL BRACHES.
Other reports on N985JL · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.