Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs

Shortly after being cleared for takeoff on runway 18 (3,899 feet by 150 feet, dry concrete) at Merrill C. Meigs Field, Chicago, Illinois, the airplane impacted into Lake Michigan, approximately 300 feet south of the end of the runway. The tower controller said that at the 3/4 field point, the airplane had not rotated. 'All I can see are lights [from the airplane]. At the point where he would have been at the end of the runway, [I] lost the lights.' A witness on the airport said that when the airplane went by, it 'didn't sound like most King Airs do at that point.' There was a pulsating sound, but it was not heavy. The witness said that the airplane was 'bouncing up and down on the [gear] struts, and wasn't coming off the ground.' NTSB Materials examination of the pilot's control yoke showed that there were small distortions in the holes of the column and the rod where the control lock would be inserted. A small crack was observed around 1/4 of the control lock rod hole. The control lock was a substitute for the original airplane equipment. The examination of the control lock showed 'several shiny scratches ... parallel to the length of the pin.' A small deformation was observed near the top of the pin part of the control lock. The company flight department's third pilot said that when they flew the airplane, they always placed the control lock in the pilot's side cockpit wall pocket, along with a car key and a remote hanger door opener. The car key and the door opener were found in the wall pocket during the on-scene investigation. The control lock was
recovered from the lake, 7 days later.

The pilot reported the airplane decelerated during the takeoff roll. He applied the brakes and as he advanced the throttles to full power the airplane accelerated. The airplane cleared the end of the runway then stalled into Lake Michigan, flipped inverted and sank. One passenger reported that it felt as if someone put on the brakes. One passenger drowned. The pilot used 32' of manifold pressure for takeoff versus 37.3' as placarded. The pilot operating handbook lists normal takeoff speed as 91 KIAS, however the airplane was equipped with vortex generators. The pilot reported looking for 105 to 110 KIAS for takeoff. No evidence was found of the pilot having a multi-engine rating. No evidence of a mechanical failure/malfunction was found.

As the airplane approached 22,000 feet, the pilot reported that both engines stopped running within seconds of each other. During the emergency landing approach the airplane collided with trees. Onscene investigation revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engines. The fuel system was empty, other than traces of fuel found in the left and right engine's fuel injector servos and flow dividers. Both wing fuel tank caps o-rings were hardened and had flat spots on them. The caps' opening tabs were able to be opened at 8 and 3 lbs of force, respectively. The company holding the airplane's type certificate states an opening force of 16 lbs of force is required. The company's annual inspection checklist requires that the tabs be checked. No record of this being accomplished was found in the airframe logbook. The pilot operating handbook states that the fuel cap tab tension must be checked during the preflight inspection.

The airplane was unable to takeoff from Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs Airport runway 18, overran and crashed into Lake Michigan. A pilot and a passenger were killed while four other occupants were seriously injured. The aircraft came to rest in 25 feet of water about 300 feet past the runway end.

The pilot was completing a positioning flight to Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs Airport and while descending, he encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling, fog and limited visibility. He lost control of the airplane that crashed into Lake Michigan. Few debris were found while the main wreckage was not recovered. Both occupants were presumed dead.

After takeoff from Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs Airport, while climbing, the airplane collided with a flock of seagulls. An engine lost power and the airplane lost speed and height. The pilot elected to return when the airplane stalled and crashed into Lake Michigan. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.

After takeoff from Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs, while climbing, both engines failed simultaneously. The pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed into Lake Michigan. The aircraft was lost and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a cargo flight from Cleveland to Chicago. While he was approaching Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs Airport by night, weather conditions worsened with fog and a limited visibility. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed into Lake Michigan about 1,5 mile northeast of the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Chicago & Southern Airlines, Inc., Flight 804, crashed at approximately 1220 central daylight time while it was executing an instrument approach to the Greater Peoria Airport, Peoria, Illinois. The 16 persons on board received fatal injuries. The aircraft made initial contact with powerlines which cross the VOR Runway 12 final of Runway 12 of the Greater Peoria Airport approach course, approximately 2 miles west. Near the point of contact there are two towers, each of which supports four sets of cables. The easterly tower is 681 feet mean sea level. The elevation of the ground at the base of the most contact was made with the lower cables which were 65 feet above ground level. The aircraft thereafter contacted the ground, bounced and slid into the base of a large hedgewood tree 152 feet from the point of initial wire contact, along a wreckage path of 050° magnetic. The major portion of the aircraft structure remained at the base of the tree. An intense fire ensued which almost completely destroyed the cockpit and cabin area of the fuselage. All 16 occupants were killed.

During the takeoff roll at Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs Airport, prior to V1 speed, a fire warning alarm sounded. The crew decided to abort the takeoff and started an emergency braking procedure. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the twin engine aircraft overran and plunged into Lake Michigan. All eight occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.