Cocchi LANCAIR 320 N3118J

Summary

On 24 June 1995 at about 17:30 local time, a Cocchi LANCAIR 320 registered N3118J was involved in an accident near Marengo, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 June 1995 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Marengo, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

William Rose Airstrip

Coordinates

41.8694, -87.8900

Aircraft

Cocchi LANCAIR 320

Registration

N3118J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI95FA200

1 person died.

pilot incapacitation due to cardiac arrhythmia (heart attack).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DEPART THE AIRSTRIP ABOUT 2 HOURS BEFORE THE WRECKAGE WAS DISCOVERED. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 27 AND TURNED ABRUPTLY TO THE SOUTH, BEHIND A TREE LINE, BEFORE IT REACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE DID NOT, HOWEVER, OBSERVE THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ANATOMICAL FINDINGS OF A FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST WERE THAT 'THE PILOT DIED OF CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIA DUE TO ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE AS EVIDENCED BY SEVERE CORONARY ARTERY ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND ENLARGEMENT OF THE HEART. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT INJURY FROM THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT. THE AMOUNT OF BLOOD IN THE AIRWAY WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO HAVE CAUSED ASPHYXIATION AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT BLOOD HAD BEEN INHALED INTO THE PARENCHYMA.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.