# Accident 20030305008269A: Beech A36, Sparta, IL, March 5, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 5, 2003, 22:41 local time
- Place: Sparta, IL
- Airport: Sparta Community-Hunter Field
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.0772° N, 89.6931° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0772&lon=-89.6931&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7253Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7253Z-2017-10-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 15,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI03FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03FA078) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030305008269A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON MARCH 05, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 2240 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME A RAYTHEON BEECHCRAFT BE-36-A36, N7353Z, PILOTED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT WAS DESTROYED DURING AN IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN NEAR SPARTA, IL. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED DULUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, DULUTH, MN ENROUTE TO CAPE GIRARDEAU REGIONAL AIRPORT, CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. WHILE ENROUTE THE PILOT REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT FLIGHT HAD ENCOUNTERED ICING CONDITIONS AND REQUESTED TO DIVERT TO SPARTA COMMUNITY AIRPORT, SPARTA, IL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY FOUR NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF SPARTA COMMUNITY AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND SOLE PASSENGER ONBOARD RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.

## 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 CHI03FA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03FA078), Mar 6, 2003: Beech A36 (N7253Z), Sparta, IL, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision by his flight into known icing conditions which resulted in airframe icing and degraded aircraft performance until the onset of a stall.

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.

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