What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot departed ugn on an IFR flight plan to pick up a passenger at dixon Illinois (C73). Weather at C73 and at sterling rock falls sqi was extremely foggy. N127W reported emergency engine out. N127W requested to go to nearest VFR. Controller asked if he was able to go to quad cities. Pilot answered negative and requested the ILS approach at sqi. N127W was cleared for ILS 25 approach but aircraft never showed up. After the fog lifted, two search planes were launced to spot the aircraft. The aircraft was found two hours later at 12:00 pm in a lee county cornfield 5 miles south of interstate 88, 500 yards north of rt 30. The lone pilot sustained major injuries and the aircraft received substantial damage. The rescue team further damaged the aircraft by extracting the pilot out to be airlifted by react to a rockford hospital. Fuel was not found in either tank. Upon inspection after the aircraft was removed from the field, both fuel selectors were in the aux position. Both props were not feathered. Both props appear to have been windmilling on impact and not under power. All four fuel caps were removed and no evidence of fuel in any tank.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT DEPARTED UGN ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN TO PICK UP A PASSENGER AT DIXON ILLINOIS (C73). WEATHER AT C73 AND AT STERLING ROCK FALLS SQI WAS EXTREMELY FOGGY. N127W REPORTED EMERGENCY ENGINE OUT. N127W REQUESTED TO GO TO NEAREST VFR. CONTROLLER ASKED IF HE WAS ABLE TO GO TO QUAD CITIES. PILOT ANSWERED NEGATIVE AND REQUESTED THE ILS APPROACH AT SQI. N127W WAS CLEARED FOR ILS 25 APPROACH BUT AIRCRAFT NEVER SHOWED UP. AFTER THE FOG LIFTED, TWO SEARCH PLANES WERE LAUNCED TO SPOT THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND TWO HOURS LATER AT 12:00 PM IN A LEE COUNTY CORNFIELD 5 MILES SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 88, 500 YARDS NORTH OF RT 30. THE LONE PILOT SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE RESCUE TEAM FURTHER DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT BY EXTRACTING THE PILOT OUT TO BE AIRLIFTED BY REACT TO A ROCKFORD HOSPITAL. FUEL WAS NOT FOUND IN EITHER TANK. UPON INSPECTION AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE FIELD, BOTH FUEL SELECTORS WERE IN THE AUX POSITION. BOTH PROPS WERE NOT FEATHERED. BOTH PROPS APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN WINDMILLING ON IMPACT AND NOT UNDER POWER. ALL FOUR FUEL CAPS WERE REMOVED AND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN ANY TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.