- Date
- December 4, 1991, 04:05 local (10:05 UTC)
- Place
- West Chicago, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N38RMBeech G-18S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911204054219A
- Case key
- 15275
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A result of the pilot in command's not maintaining directional control, an improper inflight decision, and improper remedial action once the loss of directional control was recognized by the pilot. Factors contributing to this accident are inadequate cargo restraints, loose cargo, and improper security of the cargo not observed by the pilot. Additional factors contributing to this accident are the inadequate standards for aircraft equipment and training provided by the company employing and operating the airplane.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated she felt the twin engined tailwheel cargo airplane yaw to the right during takeoff. The pilot stated she applied left rudder and set differential power to correct for the perceived right hand crosswind. As the airplane lifted off, it made a sharp right turn and performed left and right banks leveling off prior to colliding with the ground. The airplane slid through security fences and a fuel supply depot before stopping. The newspaper bundle cargo moved from the two forward bays to the aft end of the cargo compartment. The newspapers were covered with plastic wrapper. The cargo compartment floor was slippery when walked upon and had traces of snow on it. According to the pilot the cargo was covered by a cargo net secured at the forward end but not at the aft end. Two cargo straps were crisscrossed over the net and secured at the aft end of the cargo load. The left throttle was found in the full forward position. The right throttle was found one inch aft of the full forward position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38RM
- Reported as
- Beech G-18S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BA-574
- Engine
- P&W R-985-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Viking Express, doing business as Express, Inc.
- Registered owner
- P.B. Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- CVG · Covington, KY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- DPA · Dupage County, runway 28, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,571 total · 330 in this make and model · 4,476 as pilot in command · 203 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Observed at
- DPA, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N38RM · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.