Flight CTLS N257V

Summary

On 8 June 2020 at about 14:46 local time, a Flight CTLS registered N257V was involved in an accident near Beecher, 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

8 June 2020 at 14:46

Classification

Accident

Location

Beecher, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Bult Field (C56)

Coordinates

41.3817, -87.6653

Aircraft

Flight CTLS

Registration

N257V

Category

Airplane

Year built

2008

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Monee → Kankakee

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA219

1 person died.

The pilot’s decision to continue takeoff after a partial loss of engine power, and the pilot’s subsequent failure to control airplane pitch during a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Flight data showed that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane turned left and impacted a farm field about 0.4 mile from the runway’s departure end. The farm field was suitable for an emergency landing, and impact signatures were consistent with the airplane impacting terrain in a wings-level, nose-low attitude, indicating the pilot did not attain proper pitch during the forced landing. About 14 seconds into the takeoff roll, when the airplane was likely still on the ground, engine monitor data showed a reduction in engine power. The reduction in power was accompanied by reductions in fuel flow, manifold pressure, and engine rpm. Shortly thereafter, the fuel pressure increased, consistent with the takeoff sequence. At the time of the initial power reduction, sufficient runway length remained for the pilot to perform an aborted takeoff, but he continued the takeoff instead. Although the airplane’s engine had been modified from its original configuration by the addition of aftermarket electronic fuel injection and turbocharger systems, postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact anomalies to which the engine power loss could be attributed. Based on the available evidence, the accident was the result of the pilot’s decision to continue the takeoff after the partial loss of engine power occurred and his subsequent failure to control airplane pitch during the forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.