What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On may 27, 2001, about 0830 central daylight time, a geertz zenith ch 200, marked as N77VZ, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain near Kankakee, Illinois on climb out from runway 34 at greater Kankakee airport, near Kankakee, Illinois. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot was fatally injured. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. (-23) at approximately 0830 on may 27, 2001 an amateur built zenith 200, N77VZ, s/n A142, crashed under unknown circumstances south of Kankakee, IL. A witness reported seeing the aircraft in a bank turn to the left and then nosedived straight down. The witness stated that the aircraft did not spin while going down and there were no othe movements after it nosed down. The total observation time was not more than 15 seconds. Witness also stated that it appeared the aircraft was out of control after the left bank. Aircraft was found inverted in a creek, and received substantial damage. The pilot appears to have lost control for some unexplained reason and received fatal injuries. Post crash flight control continuity checks were completed and everything appeared to be operating normally.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON MAY 27, 2001, ABOUT 0830 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A GEERTZ ZENITH CH 200, MARKED AS N77VZ, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON IMPACT WITH TREES AND TERRAIN NEAR KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS ON CLIMB OUT FROM RUNWAY 34 AT GREATER KANKAKEE AIRPORT, NEAR KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 ON MAY 27, 2001 AN AMATEUR BUILT ZENITH 200, N77VZ, S/N A142, CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES SOUTH OF KANKAKEE, IL. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT IN A BANK TURN TO THE LEFT AND THEN NOSEDIVED STRAIGHT DOWN. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT SPIN WHILE GOING DOWN AND THERE WERE NO OTHE MOVEMENTS AFTER IT NOSED DOWN. THE TOTAL OBSERVATION TIME WAS NOT MORE THAN 15 SECONDS. WITNESS ALSO STATED THAT IT APPEARED THE AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF CONTROL AFTER THE LEFT BANK. AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND INVERTED IN A CREEK, AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT APPEARS TO HAVE LOST CONTROL FOR SOME UNEXPLAINED REASON AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. POST CRASH FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECKS WERE COMPLETED AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.