ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38912
Last updated: 24 May 2013
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| Date: | 16-OCT-1994 |
| Time: | 1341 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-161 |
| Operator: | Northwest Flyers |
| Registration: | N9089U |
| C/n / msn: | 2816004 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Winfield, IL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bloomington, IL (BMI) |
| Schaumburg, IL (06C) |
THE PILOT CONTACTED ATC AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS 'GOING DOWN.' CONTROLLER INQUIRIES FAILED TO REVEAL THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT LOW ALTITUDE, THEN WITHOUT SLOWING, IT SUDDENLY WENT IN A 30 TO 40 DEGREE DESCENT. ACCORDING TO ONE WITNESS, IT CONTINUED IN THE DIVE WITH THE ENGINE AT A HIGH POWER SETTING AND DID NOT VEER FROM ITS COURSE, AS THOUGH THE PLANE WAS IN A DELIBERATE DIVE. IMPACT WITH THE GROUND OCCURRED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. FRIENDS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD BECOME VISIBLY UPSET AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF BUZZING A COLLEGE CAMPUS TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. TWO OF HIS FRIENDS, WHO WERE ABOARD DURING THE ALLEGED BUZZING, STATED THAT HE MADE STATEMENTS THAT HIS ESTATE/PARENTS WOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY LEGAL FEES THEY INCURRED AND THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY WOULD NOT BE BOTHERED WAS IF HE DIDN'T LAND THE AIRPLANE. A SHERIFF'S REPORT CONCLUDED THAT THE OCCURRENCE WAS 'PROBABLY SUICIDAL IN NATURE.' CAUSE: COLLISION WITH THE GROUND FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. THE PILOT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION WAS A PROBABLE FACTOR.
Sources:
NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001206X02396
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
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