What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Mr. Piontkowski departed the greater Kankakee airport. He flew over the river at an altitude lower than the treetops as described by two witnesses. He impacted a wire that ran from the shoreline to an island. During the rescue and ensuing successful attempt to resuscitate mr. Piontkowski, one of the rescuers (a Kankakee sheriff's deputy) detected the odor of alcohol on the pilot. Mr. Piontkowski was transported to riverside hospital where a test was conducted to determine blood alcohol concentration. Based on the results of the test, mr. Piontkowski was issued several citations by the Kankakee sheriff's department for violation of state statutes concerning operating an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol.
As the FAA filed it
MR. PIONTKOWSKI DEPARTED THE GREATER KANKAKEE AIRPORT. HE FLEW OVER THE RIVER AT AN ALTITUDE LOWER THAN THE TREETOPS AS DESCRIBED BY TWO WITNESSES. HE IMPACTED A WIRE THAT RAN FROM THE SHORELINE TO AN ISLAND. DURING THE RESCUE AND ENSUING SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RESUSCITATE MR. PIONTKOWSKI, ONE OF THE RESCUERS (A KANKAKEE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY) DETECTED THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL ON THE PILOT. MR. PIONTKOWSKI WAS TRANSPORTED TO RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL WHERE A TEST WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION. BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE TEST, MR. PIONTKOWSKI WAS ISSUED SEVERAL CITATIONS BY THE KANKAKEE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR VIOLATION OF STATE STATUTES CONCERNING OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.