CHI97MA017

The flightcrew of a Gulfstream G-IV began taking off on Runway 34 with a crosswind from 280 deg at 24 kts. About 1,340 feet after the takeoff roll began, the airplane veered left 5.14 deg to a heading of 335 deg. It departed the runway, and tire marks indicated no braking action was applied. One of the pilots said, "Reverse," then one said, "No, no, no, go, go, go, go, go." The airplane traversed a shallow ditch that paralleled the runway, which resulted in separation of both main landing gear, the left and right flaps, and a piece of left aileron control cable from the airplane. The airplane became airborne after it encountered a small berm at the departure end of the runway. Reportedly, the left wing fuel tank exploded. The main wreckage was located about 6,650 ft from the start of the takeoff roll. Examination of the airplane indicated no preexisting anomalies of the engines, flight controls, or aircraft systems. The Nose Wheel Steering Select Control Switch was found in the "Handwheel Only" position, and not in the "Normal" position. The pilot-in-command (PIC) routinely flew with the switch in the "Normal" position. The PIC and copilot (pilot-not-flying) comprised a mix crew in accordance with an Interchange Agreement between two companies which operated G-IV's. The companies' operation manuals and the Interchange Agreement did not address mixed crews, procedural differences, or aircraft difference training.

History of flight

On October 30, 1996, at 1300 central standard time, a Gulfstream G-IV, N23AC, registered to Alberto Culver USA, Inc., collided with the terrain following a loss of control during a takeoff ground roll on runway 34 (5,137' x 100') at the Palwaukee Municipal Airport, Wheeling, Illinois. The 14 CFR Part 91 corporate flight was departing in visual meteorological conditions with an IFR flight plan on file. The captain, co-pilot, flight attendant, and the sole passenger on board were fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire. The intended destination of the flight was Burbank, California.

The accident flight was operated under the terms of an Interchange Agreement between the Alberto-Culver Corporation and the Aon Corporation. The interchange agreement provided for each company to lease their respective G-IV airplanes to the other company. In regards to the accident flight, the Aon Corporation had requested the use of the Alberto-Culver airplane. Aon furnished one pilot making the flight a mixed crew operation. The pilots of the accident flight were notified of the flight approximately seven days prior to the scheduled departure.

N23AC was scheduled to depart Palwaukee Municipal Airport at 1300 CST on October 30, 1996, for the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport with a return to Palwaukee the following day. The flight plan was filed by the pilot from Alberto-Culver who occupied the right cockpit seat for departure. Although the aircraft was operated by Alberto-Culver, the pilot from Alberto-Culver listed himself as the co-pilot for the first day of the trip from the Palwaukee Municipal Airport to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport. He listed himself as the pilot-in-command on the flight plan for the return flight to Palwaukee Municipal Airport on the following day. The pilot from the Aon occupied the left cockpit seat for the accident flight and was listed on the flight plan as the pilot-in-command. [For the remainder of the report, the pilot from Alberto-Culver will be identified as the pilot not flying (PNF) and the AON pilot as the pilot-in-command (PIC)].

Prior to departure N23AC was parked on the ramp adjacent to hangar #12. A preflight inspection of the airplane was accomplished by an Alberto-Culver aircraft technician. The PNF was also observed performing a preflight inspection of the airplane. The pilots of N23AC received their ATC clearance from clearance delivery at 1242.

The PNF called for and received taxi clearance at 1254. N23AC was instructed to taxi on Mike but hold short of runway 34. The flightcrew acknowledged the hold short instructions and began to taxi. At 1257 the local controller who was also working the ground control position cleared N23AC to back taxi and expedite down the active runway to the departure pad. N23AC taxied southeast on runway 16-34 and at 1258 the local controller asked them if they would be ready at the end. N23AC replied they would be ready at the end of the runway. At 1259, the local controller said, "Two Three Alpha Charlie, three four, expedite departure, turn left heading two niner zero, cleared for takeoff."

At 1259, the PNF replied, "Cleared for takeoff, heading two nine zero, we'll hurry it out." The pilots applied power and began the takeoff roll on runway 34. Passing the intersection of 12L-30R, tire tracks indicated the airplane began to diverge to the left of runway heading. As the airplane continued to diverge from the centerline of the runway the nose gear tire tracks ended; however, the main gear tire tracks continued into the grass bordering the runway.

The airplane remained off the runway and continued across the grass and across taxiways, Yankee, Mike, and November. Landing gear, flight control surfaces, and other airplane components separated once N23AC left the runway. The airplane slid on its belly roughly parallel with the runway and momentarily got airborne when it launched off a small berm near the departure end of runway 34. Once airborne the airplane flew over Hintz Road, contacted the embankment along Wolf Road, and skipped over Wolf Road. It slid across a field and stream gully and came to rest on the edge of an apartment complex parking lot where the airplane was consumed by fire. Both pilots, the flight attendant, and passenger perished as a result of the accident and subsequent fire.

Witness statements

The Alberto-Culver aircraft technician who performed a pre-flight inspection of the airplane reported that he was positioned on the ramp forward of the airplane during engine start and initial taxi. He stated he observed the control check and the engine start and everything appeared normal. There were no unusual sounds, smoke, or other abnormal indications associated with the airplane. The brakes, gear, control surfaces, and engines all appeared to operate normally.

While N23AC was taxiing for takeoff, a Falcon 900 landed on runway 34. The pilots from the Falcon 900 reported that after they stopped on the runway, they back taxied before turning off at runway 30. The pilots observed the G-IV and reported that everything on the G-IV looked normal. They reported the thrust reversers were stowed, the tires looked normal, and the taxi path was straight. There was no white or black smoke coming from the engines.

A co-pilot of a Falcon 10 was standing on an aircraft ramp on the west side of runway 34. He reported that the G-IV's engine noise was normal during takeoff. He reported that the spool up was normal and that he heard no reduction in engine noise.

An Aon aircraft technician had assisted the Aon executive in boarding the aircraft. He reported that he observed N23AC back taxi to the end of runway 34, turn around, and without holding short, start its takeoff roll. He reported the engine spool-up and acceleration were normal and that the auto-throttles were engaged. He saw the aircraft go off the runway and continue paralleling runway 34 until it was out of his field of view, shedding aircraft parts in the process. The aircraft was on its belly with the nose off the ground, and the engines were running at full power. He did not hear a power reduction.

An aircraft line serviceman observed the main landing gears separate from the aircraft as it continued on its path across the ground. He reported, "...I came out [and] the left main was gone and [the] left wing was dragging on the ground. Two or three seconds later the right main came off. (But all this time the nose wheel never hit the ground.)"

The air traffic controller who had been working local and ground control for 10 to 15 minutes prior to the accident viewed parts of the accident sequence from his position in the tower cab. He reported seeing N23AC begin its takeoff roll, but did not see it departing the runway since he was observing another aircraft at the time. He next saw N23AC as it was sliding on its belly in the grass. He reported that it seemed to decelerate and then accelerate at full power.

A second air traffic controller who was in the tower reported seeing N23AC become airborne and exploding near the north boundary of the field. He saw a fireball encompass the aircraft. He did not recall if the aircraft had been yawing.

An airport employee witnessed the accident from the departure end of runway 34. He had been inspecting the approach lighting system for runway 16 from outside the airport fence, and he was looking down the runway when the aircraft started its takeoff roll. He witnessed the airplane depart the runway, shedding aircraft parts as it passed taxiways Mike and November. He reported that after the aircraft passed taxiway November, the aircraft was turned 2/3 to the right until it hit the berm near the departure end of runway 34. He reported the airplane became airborne and it started yawing back to the left. The back end of the airplane exploded