# Accident 20140928018159A: Cessna P337, Plano, IL, September 28, 2014 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 28, 2014, 21:00 local time - Place: Plano, IL - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 41.6389° N, 88.5478° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6389&lon=-88.5478&mi=10 - Aircraft: N37E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N37E-2018-01-04) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna P337 (registry code 2075727, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p337) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-360 series (registry code 17025, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA P337 - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-360 SER - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,526 total, 1,407 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14FA522](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA522) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140928018159A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED (3LF) FOR AURORA, ILL (ARR) AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 PM LOCAL TIME. DURING THE FLIGHT FROM 3LF TO ARR, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN CONTACT WITH SPRINGFIELD, IL (SPI) APPROACH CONTROL AND PEORIA, IL (PIA) APPROACH CONTROL AND WAS RECEIVING VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING AT 7,500 FEET. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE FLIGHT FOLLOWING FROM CHICAGO TRACON (C90) DUE TO EVENTS AT THE CHICAGO CENTER (ZAU FIRE). THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS NIGHT VFR, NO CLOUDS, PRECIPITATION OR LIMITS TO VISIBILITY. THERE WAS LITTLE MOON ILLUMINATION. THE PILOT INITIATED RADIO CONTACT WITH THE AURORA TOWER AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY IDENTIFIED AS 10 MILES SOUTH WEST OF ARR AT AN INDICATED ALTITUDE OF 1,800 FEET. APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES SOUTH WEST OF ARR, 1 MILE SOUTH OF PLANO, ILL, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE INTO A WOODED AREA OF TREES. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE TREES, THE LEFT TAIL BOOM, RUDDER AND STABILIZER DETACHED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE OUTBOARD LEFT WING THEN DETACHED FROM THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE FUSELAGE AND REMAINING STRUCTURE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A FIELD OF STANDING CORN. THE REMAINING WING, TAIL BOOM AND STABILIZER/RUDDER STRUCTURE DEPARTED THE FUSELAGE. THE FUSELAGE CONTINUED 130 YARDS PAST THE FIRST IMPACT TREE. THE FUSELAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A FIELD OF STANDING CORN 130 YARDS PAST THE FIRST IMPACT TREE. THE FORWARD ENGINE DEPARTED THE FUSELAGE COMING TO REST ABOUT 30 FEET FURTHER. THE TOP HALF OF THE CABIN DOOR WAS OFF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS FOUND 5 FEET IN FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE. NO POST CRASH FIRE OCCURRED AND THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE INVESTIGATION FOUND: BOTH ENGINES APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY. BOTH SETS OF PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT IN A FASHION TYPICAL OF DAMAGE WHILE UNDER POWER. FUEL WAS IN THE BOOST PUMPS AND FLOW DIVIDERS. ALL FUEL TANKS SHOWED SIGNS OF HYDRAULIC OPENING ALONG THE FORWARD WELD LINE OF THE TANKS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH SHOULDER HARNESS' BUT NOT ASSEMBLED THROUGH THE LAP BELT. NO FAULT FOUND DURING THE FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY INSPECTION. ALL PIECES OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS WERE REMOVED AND BENCH TESTED AND APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONABLE, BUT WERE DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. AUTOPSY REPORTS DO NOT INDICATE PILOT INCAPACITATION PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. STUDY MATERIALS AND INSTRUMENT APPROACH PLATES WERE FOUND IN THE COCKPIT AND SCATTERED AROUND THE ACCIDENT SCENE. ## 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 CEN14FA522](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14FA522), Sep 29, 2014: Cessna T337G (N37E), Plano, IL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to recognize the airplane’s low altitude and arrest the airplane’s descent on approach to the airport in dark night conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.… ## Other reports on N37E (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19951112044319I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951112044319I), Nov 12, 1995: Cessna P337H (N37E), Romeoville, IL. Narrative: alternator regulators appear to be adjusted so that warning lights intermittently flash during flight. Pilot diverted from IFR flight plan when an… - [Incident 19850513023079I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850513023079I), May 13, 1985: Cessna T337G (N37E), Rochester, NY. Unsafe gear light, nose and right main not locked. Emergency extension, safe indication and landing. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.