Peoria

The pilot was maneuvering the airplane south of the airport preparing to make a VFR approach. Witnesses observed the airplane in a right spin. NTAP data showed the airplane to be well above stall speed before disappearing from radar. Examination of the radar data revealed that in 6 seconds, ground speed dropped 31 knots, from 200 knots to 169 knots, and altitude dropped 440 feet, from 11,760 feet to 11,320 feet (4,400 feet per minute). In the next 6 seconds, ground speed dropped another 31 knots, from 169 knots to 138 knots, and altitude dropped 1,020 feet, from 11,320 feet to 10,300 feet (10,200 feet per minute). According to the manufacturer, if the throttles were to be brought back into Beta (flat pitch) range, it is possible that one propeller could go into Beta an instant before the other propeller. If this were to happen, the airplane would instantly snap roll and enter a spiral. The pilot had received an estimated 4 hours of dual instruction in the airplane.

After takeoff from Chicago-Midway Airport, on a cargo flight to Bloomington via Peoria, the pilot encountered a loss of power on the left engine. The pilot attempted to return for an emergency landing when the airplane entered a tight turn, lost height, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The descent to Peoria Airport was initiated by night and marginal weather conditions. On final, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in Pekin, about seven miles southeast of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all six occupants were 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.

The pilot Charles Lindbergh was performing a mail flight from Springfield (Illinois) to Peoria. In flight, while cruising at night at a height of 13,000 feet in a snow storm, he lost his orientation and the fuel reserve was too low. He tried to make an emergency landing but eventually decided to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. Aircraft crashed in an open field located in Covell, in the suburb of Bloomington and was destroyed. 'Lindy' was uninjured and came back a day later with a new aircraft to pick up the mail and continue the mission. Second accident in six weeks for Charles Lindbergh.

The pilot Charles Lindbergh was performing a mail flight from Peoria to Chicago. En route, weather conditions worsened and he lost his orientation. Few minutes later, fuel exhausted and he eventually took the decision to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in a corn field. While the aircraft was destroyed, the aviator was unhurt.