What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 4, 2026, at approximately 0345 zulu, the pilot in command of privacy data omitted, a Cessna 210, was on an instrument approach into Chicago Executive Airport(kpwk). The flight was conducted in instrument meterological conditions (IMC) and on an IFR flight plan. Automated weather was reporting low ceilings and visibilities, kpwk 050339Z 07005KT 3/4SM br VV002 03/03 A3003 rmk AO2 twr vis 1. The pilot was on the RNAV 16 approach, approximaetlely 6 NM from kpwk, when air traffic control (ATC) received a low altitude alert. The pilot acknowledged the alert, climbed approximately 100 feet, then started to descend again below the altitudes published for that approach. ATC then stated that he was showing the pilot at 1000 feet AGL. The pilot responded that he was still 5 NM out. ATC then told the pilot that he was showing him in a descent and to please climb. Following this, ATC told the pilot that he was showing him at 900 feet AGL and on a three mile final. When the pilot was about 2.5 NM northwest of kpwk, ATC stated that the pilot was showing 700 feet AGL and drifting west of course. There were no further transmissions from the pilot. The altitudes that ATC was giving the pilot were approximaelty 647 feet higher than the actual altitudes the pilot was at. The plane impacted trees, the roof of a townhouse and came to rest upside down behind a row of residential townhouses that are approximaetly 2 NM north of kpwk. First responders found the pilot deceased at the scene.
The aircraft was destroyed, no post crash fire, with substantail damage to both wings, instrument panel and engine firewall. Outboard portions of the wings were located within the debris field. The propeller hub with the three blades was found intact as an assembly but separated from the engine. The integrity of both main fuel tanks was compromised with the wing damage. First responders gave reports of fuel smell following the accident. The fuel strainer was removed and disassembled and the presence of fuel was confirmed. Partial continuity checks were performed but limited to elevator and rudder due to crushing of the instrument panel, engine firewall and damage to wings. The flap actuator was measured for travel and indicated an approximate position of 20 degrees deployment. Several alterations were found to be installed on the aircraft but were not currently found in FAA registry records. However, the investifation was unable to determine if it contributed to the accident. Significant crushing of the instrument panel limited review. The static altimeter housing was compromised but the kollsman window indicated a setting of 30.04. The inspection sticker was illegible. Aircraft and engine records have not been located for review. The ELT was found installed but the switch was in the off position.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 4, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 0345 ZULU, THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A CESSNA 210, WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH INTO CHICAGO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT(KPWK). THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN INSTRUMENT METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. AUTOMATED WEATHER WAS REPORTING LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES, KPWK 050339Z 07005KT 3/4SM BR VV002 03/03 A3003 RMK AO2 TWR VIS 1. THE PILOT WAS ON THE RNAV 16 APPROACH, APPROXIMAETLELY 6 NM FROM KPWK, WHEN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) RECEIVED A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE ALERT, CLIMBED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET, THEN STARTED TO DESCEND AGAIN BELOW THE ALTITUDES PUBLISHED FOR THAT APPROACH. ATC THEN STATED THAT HE WAS SHOWING THE PILOT AT 1000 FEET AGL. THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE WAS STILL 5 NM OUT. ATC THEN TOLD THE PILOT THAT HE WAS SHOWING HIM IN A DESCENT AND TO PLEASE CLIMB. FOLLOWING THIS, ATC TOLD THE PILOT THAT HE WAS SHOWING HIM AT 900 FEET AGL AND ON A THREE MILE FINAL. WHEN THE PILOT WAS ABOUT 2.5 NM NORTHWEST OF KPWK, ATC STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS SHOWING 700 FEET AGL AND DRIFTING WEST OF COURSE. THERE WERE NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE PILOT. THE ALTITUDES THAT ATC WAS GIVING THE PILOT WERE APPROXIMAELTY 647 FEET HIGHER THAN THE ACTUAL ALTITUDES THE PILOT WAS AT. THE PLANE IMPACTED TREES, THE ROOF OF A TOWNHOUSE AND CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN BEHIND A ROW OF RESIDENTIAL TOWNHOUSES THAT ARE APPROXIMAETLY 2 NM NORTH OF KPWK. FIRST RESPONDERS FOUND THE PILOT DECEASED AT THE SCENE.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, NO POST CRASH FIRE, WITH SUBSTANTAIL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, INSTRUMENT PANEL AND ENGINE FIREWALL. OUTBOARD PORTIONS OF THE WINGS WERE LOCATED WITHIN THE DEBRIS FIELD. THE PROPELLER HUB WITH THE THREE BLADES WAS FOUND INTACT AS AN ASSEMBLY BUT SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE INTEGRITY OF BOTH MAIN FUEL TANKS WAS COMPROMISED WITH THE WING DAMAGE. FIRST RESPONDERS GAVE REPORTS OF FUEL SMELL FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE FUEL STRAINER WAS REMOVED AND DISASSEMBLED AND THE PRESENCE OF FUEL WAS CONFIRMED. PARTIAL CONTINUITY CHECKS WERE PERFORMED BUT LIMITED TO ELEVATOR AND RUDDER DUE TO CRUSHING OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ENGINE FIREWALL AND DAMAGE TO WINGS. THE FLAP ACTUATOR WAS MEASURED FOR TRAVEL AND INDICATED AN APPROXIMATE POSITION OF 20 DEGREES DEPLOYMENT. SEVERAL ALTERATIONS WERE FOUND TO BE INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT BUT WERE NOT CURRENTLY FOUND IN FAA REGISTRY RECORDS. HOWEVER, THE INVESTIFATION WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. SIGNIFICANT CRUSHING OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIMITED REVIEW. THE STATIC ALTIMETER HOUSING WAS COMPROMISED BUT THE KOLLSMAN WINDOW INDICATED A SETTING OF 30.04. THE INSPECTION STICKER WAS ILLEGIBLE. AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE RECORDS HAVE NOT BEEN LOCATED FOR REVIEW. THE ELT WAS FOUND INSTALLED BUT THE SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N19FB · 1
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