Cessna 340A N5340F
2 August 1998 · Chicago, Illinois, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 2 August 1998 at about 03:00 local time, a Cessna 340A registered N5340F, operated by Kenneth H. Asher, was involved in an accident near Chicago, Illinois, United States. 4 people were on board and one died, 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 03:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Nearest airport
- Merrill C. Meigs Field (CGX)
- Coordinates
- 41.8691, -87.6191
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A
- Registration
- N5340F
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Kenneth H. Asher
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Louisville
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- CHI98FA296
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Probable cause
the pilot's improper use of the throttle in not using full power for takeoff, the pilot's failure to use proper aborted takeoff procedures, and the inadvertant stall/mush. A factor associated with the accident was inadequate preflight/planning by the pilot.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
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.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 340 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan 1998 | Cessna 340A | Bethany, Oklahoma, United States | Sierra Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 28 Jan 1998 | Cessna 340 | Wagoner, Oklahoma, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 1998 | Cessna 340 | Lincoln, Montana, United States | Curtis M. Moeller | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Jan 1998 | Cessna 340A | Groveland, California, United States | Louis E. Fricke | No injuries | - |
| 3 Jun 1997 | Cessna 340A | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 1999 | Cessna 340A | Phillipsburg, Kansas, United States | Irwin P. Pochter | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Nov 1998 | Brantly B2B | Salem, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 May 1998 | Enstrom F28 | West Chicago, Illinois, United States | Oliver's Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 25 May 1998 | Cessna 310L | Wheeling, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jun 1998 | Grumman G164 | Somonauk, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Nov 1998 | Piper PA-28-140 | East St. Louis, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jun 1998 | Cessna 172P | Grays Lake, Illinois, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |