CHI99FA238

The airplane was flying a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) cross-country when it encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and precipitation. Witnesses stated that the airplane was flying northbound at an altitude described as being 50-60 feet above ground level (agl) before starting a turn, just prior to the in-flight collision with the terrain. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service weather-radar plots revealed that an area of precipitation had moved through the accident location, before and after the reported time of the accident. Aircraft radar track data for period before and after the reported accident time was obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This aircraft radar track data was plotted on the NOAA weather-radar plots and indicated that the accident aircraft had encountered an area of convective activity prior to and about the reported accident time. A weather observation station, located 10.9 nautical miles from the accident site on a 215-degree magnetic heading, reported the weather as visibility 1 3/4 statute miles and cloud conditions of 900 scattered, 1,800 broken, and 2,500 overcast. The pilot had received three weather briefings prior to his departure. The FAA Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) advised the pilot that VFR flight was not recommended during two briefings and he was informed of deteriorating weather conditions along the proposed route of flight during his final briefing. The pilot received two weather briefings, while en route, from two FAA AFSS, and was advised of the deteriorating weather conditions, along the proposed route of flight, during each briefing.

History of flight

On July 17, 1999, at 1245 central daylight time (cdt), a Piper PA-28-181, N5054F, piloted by a private rated pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with the terrain near Yorkville, Illinois. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and had a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan on file with the Dayton Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS). The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight had departed Cincinnati Blue Ash Airport (ISZ), Cincinnati, Ohio, at 1140 edt, and was en-route to Naper Aero Airport (LL10), Naperville, Illinois, at the time of the accident.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) AFSS records, a pilot representing N5054F contacted the Dayton AFSS three times prior to his departure from ISZ. The Dayton AFSS reported the following information:

July 16, 1999 2036 cdt

"The pilot of N5054F called on the phone and requested an outlook briefing for a VFR [visual flight rules] flight and a weather synopsis. The pilot received a standard weather brief and was given the VNR [VFR flight not recommended] statement."

July 17, 1999 0831 cdt

"The pilot of N5054F called on the phone and requested information on a VFR flight and a weather synopsis. The pilot received a standard weather brief and was given the VNR statement."

July 17, 1999 0937 cdt

"The pilot of N5054F called on the phone and requested VFR information for a flight from Blue Ash, Ohio to Naperville, Illinois and a weather synopsis. The pilot received a weather synopsis, radar report, SA's [scheduled surface weather report], FT's [terminal forecast] and FD's [winds/temperature aloft forecast]. The pilot was informed of deteriorating weather conditions along the route of flight. The pilot filed a VFR flight plan."

Full transcripts of the voice communications between the Dayton AFSS and the accident pilot are appended to this factual report.

According to an airport Fixed Base Operator (FBO) employee at the departure airport, the accident airplane departed between 1000 and 1100 cdt.

According to FAA records, N5054F contacted the Dayton AFSS, while en-route, to activate the previously filed VFR flight plan at 1035 cdt.

According to FAA AFSS records, the pilot contacted the Terre Haute AFSS, at 1139 cdt, requesting updated weather information. The Terre Haute AFSS provided the following transcript information:

1139:10 cdt N5054F

"and indianapolis flight watch ah piper five zero four fox over"

1139:16 cdt Terre Haute AFSS

"piper aircraft calling the indianapolis flight watch i did miss the tail number if you could repeat that for me along with your present position and altitude"

1139:24 cdt N5054F

"ah roger that piper five zero five four foxtrot is at twenty eight hundred feet ah sixteen point five miles southwest of kokomo v o r requesting flight following information to chicago"

1139:47 cdt Terre Haute AFSS

"november five four foxtrot actually we will not ahh at least ahh flight watch does not provide flight following were you looking for a facility to ah get flight following from or were you looking for weather information across your route"

1140:02 cdt N5054F

"weather information i'm sorry sir i miss stated that"

1640:09 cdt Terre Haute AFSS

"november five four foxtrot the precipitation has now come into ah indiana and there some scattered areas of rain and there maybe some embedded thunderstorms across the western quarter of the state of indiana extending from about fifty miles north of terre haute into the ah chicago area ah and then ah rain is just scattered around the chicago metropolitan area but it is a definitive band that runs from the southern quarter of lake michigan southward down through lafayette to about oh forty fifty north of terre haute ah generally moving slowly to the east light rain is being reported at chicago ohare and ah numerous other chicago stations including gary meigs dupage and ah palwaukee ceilings have started to come down ah in the areas of precipitation and broken to occasional overcast clouds are noted in the chicago area ranging from one thousand five hundred to two thousand five hundred feet which airport specifically in the chicago area do you anticipate going to"

1141:10 cdt N5054F

"ah lima lima ten aero (unintelligible)"

1141:22 cdt Terre Haute AFSS

"(unintelligible) five four foxtrot the closest airport i show is dupage then the dupage ah current weather has light rain ah winds one six zero at seven visibility seven with light rain scattered at one thousand four hundred broken at four thousand six hundred temperatures two three dew points two two stand by"

1141:53 cdt Terre Haute AFSS

"and november five november five four foxtrot like i mentioned ah a lot of the other stations in the chicago area are reporting rain ah visibility's are just ranging from seven to one zero miles in the rain ah the rain itself could have some heavier pockets of some rainshowers there is potentiality of seeing some convective activity also southern tip of lake michigan either has a very ah ah heavy rainshower or maybe a thunderstorm it's difficult to say right now ah and i do not see within in the current reports of anybody mention any a cumulonus cumulonimbus or towering que ahhh at a present ah what else can i answer for you"

1142:36 cdt N5054F

"roger that ah thank you sir five four fox"

1142:39 cdt Terre Haute AFSS

"november five four foxtrot current grissom altimeter is three zero one three"

1142:45 cdt N5054F

"ah roger thank you sir"

Full transcripts of the voice communications between the Terre Haute AFSS and the accident pilot are appended to this factual report.

According to FAA records, the pilot contacted the Kankakee AFSS at 1228 cdt to cancel his VFR flight plan and to obtain current weather near his destination airport:

1228:38 cdt N5054F

"service this is ah piper archer five zero five four fox over "

1228:52 cdt Kankakee AFSS

"november five zero five four foxtrot kankakee radio "

1228:57 cdt N5054F

"kankakee radio five four fox is thirty one miles southwest of joliet like tah close out our flight plan to lima lima ten please sir"

1229:06 cdt Kankakee AFSS

"would that be a v f r or an i f r flight plan sir "

1229:10 cdt N5054F

"ah be a v f r flight plan for five four ah fox "

1229:13 cdt Kankakee AFSS

"and your departure point"

1229:17 cdt N5054F

"the airport in cincinnati i think it's india sierra zulu"

1229:22 cdt Kankakee AFSS

"november five four foxtrot i'll make sure that v f r flight plan is closed did you need any thing else sir"

1229:28 cdt N5054F

"i got the current weather information ah dupage area what the ceilings and winds are"

1229:35 cdt Kankakee AFSS

"dupage had a special report at three after the hour wind one seven zero at one zero visibility one zero light rain a few clouds at niner hundred one thousand five hundred scattered ceiling two thousand three hundred broken temperature two three dew point two two in the remarks they indicate there was ah a tornado last hour and a funnel cloud which dissipated was about five to ten miles north ah dupage over"

1730:10 cdt N5054F

"ah roger that sir thank you for the information good day"

1230:13 cdt Kankakee AFSS

"and the altimeter is three zero zero five"

Full transcripts of the voice communications between the Kankakee AFSS and the accident pilot are appended to this factual report.

Witnesses stated that the airplane was flying northbound at an altitude described as being 50-60 feet above ground level (agl). The witnesses stated that the airplane then turned toward the east before they lost sight of the aircraft. The witnesses reported the airplane's engine was operating before