What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 25, 2022 at approximately 1615, privacy data omitted, an Extra ea 300/LC single engine airplane, operating under 14 CFR part 91 on a VFR flight, was involved in an accident near Galt airport (10C) in Wonder Lake, IL. The pilot was fatally injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. According to adsb-b data, privacy data omitted departed Galt airport at 1558 for aerobatic maneuver practice and returned to the airport environment at 1613. privacy data omitted Entered the traffic pattern from the north, on a left crosswind for runway 27, with airspeed decelerating through 160 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS) as it entered the traffic pattern. On downwind and abeam runway 27’S threshold, N361LX flew a left 360 degree turn at 1,800 ft MSL (950 ft AGL), maintaining constant altitude. At the completion of this turn, privacy data omitted began a descending and decelerating left turn to left base toward runway 27. During the turn to final for runway 27, privacy data omitted momentarily decelerated to 70 KCAS and had a 1,700 feet per minute rate of descent. At 1615, ADS-B data indicates privacy data omitted was at 922 ft MSL, 84 KCAS, and descending at 889 feet per minute. That data point was recorded approximately 0.5 mile from the approach end of runway 27.
The accident site is located approximately 0.28 miles from the approach end of runway 27. Based on a survey of the accident site, privacy data omitted continued west and descended into 30-40 ft trees located approximately 195 feet from the last reported ADS-B point. The main wreckage was found in a wooded area approximately 250 ft west of the initial tree impact. The aircraft was found right side up, facing east, with portions of the wings, landing gear, and canopy destroyed. There was no evidence of post-crash fire. A large divot crater approximately 1.5 ft deep was found just off the nose of the aircraft. The debris field began 250 ft east of the accident site. All major components and control surfaces were accounted for.
Flight controls were heavily damaged but indicated proper continuity with remaining portions. No measurable amount of fuel was found in the center tank and the wing tanks were destroyed. The fuel selector was on the center tank. The 3 propeller blades were found in small pieces throughout the debris field.
NTSB was on site with a Lycoming investigator to perform further engine testing. Preliminary engine monitor data indicates the engine was running at the time of impact. An autopsy was performed and this report will be amended pending autopsy report.
Autopsy reults- no medical issues found that would have posed a hazard to flight safety or likely would have contributed to this accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 25, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 1615, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AN EXTRA EA 300/LC SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE, OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 ON A VFR FLIGHT, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR GALT AIRPORT (10C) IN WONDER LAKE, IL. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO ADSB-B DATA, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED GALT AIRPORT AT 1558 FOR AEROBATIC MANEUVER PRACTICE AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT AT 1613. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FROM THE NORTH, ON A LEFT CROSSWIND FOR RUNWAY 27, WITH AIRSPEED DECELERATING THROUGH 160 KNOTS CALIBRATED AIRSPEED (KCAS) AS IT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. ON DOWNWIND AND ABEAM RUNWAY 27’S THRESHOLD, N361LX FLEW A LEFT 360 DEGREE TURN AT 1,800 FT MSL (950 FT AGL), MAINTAINING CONSTANT ALTITUDE. AT THE COMPLETION OF THIS TURN, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BEGAN A DESCENDING AND DECELERATING LEFT TURN TO LEFT BASE TOWARD RUNWAY 27. DURING THE TURN TO FINAL FOR RUNWAY 27, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MOMENTARILY DECELERATED TO 70 KCAS AND HAD A 1,700 FEET PER MINUTE RATE OF DESCENT. AT 1615, ADS-B DATA INDICATES ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS AT 922 FT MSL, 84 KCAS, AND DESCENDING AT 889 FEET PER MINUTE. THAT DATA POINT WAS RECORDED APPROXIMATELY 0.5 MILE FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 27.
THE ACCIDENT SITE IS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 0.28 MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 27. BASED ON A SURVEY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONTINUED WEST AND DESCENDED INTO 30-40 FT TREES LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 195 FEET FROM THE LAST REPORTED ADS-B POINT. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN A WOODED AREA APPROXIMATELY 250 FT WEST OF THE INITIAL TREE IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND RIGHT SIDE UP, FACING EAST, WITH PORTIONS OF THE WINGS, LANDING GEAR, AND CANOPY DESTROYED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF POST-CRASH FIRE. A LARGE DIVOT CRATER APPROXIMATELY 1.5 FT DEEP WAS FOUND JUST OFF THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE DEBRIS FIELD BEGAN 250 FT EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS AND CONTROL SURFACES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR.
FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED BUT INDICATED PROPER CONTINUITY WITH REMAINING PORTIONS. NO MEASURABLE AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CENTER TANK AND THE WING TANKS WERE DESTROYED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE CENTER TANK. THE 3 PROPELLER BLADES WERE FOUND IN SMALL PIECES THROUGHOUT THE DEBRIS FIELD.
NTSB WAS ON SITE WITH A LYCOMING INVESTIGATOR TO PERFORM FURTHER ENGINE TESTING. PRELIMINARY ENGINE MONITOR DATA INDICATES THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. AN AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED AND THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED PENDING AUTOPSY REPORT.
AUTOPSY REULTS- NO MEDICAL ISSUES FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE POSED A HAZARD TO FLIGHT SAFETY OR LIKELY WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.