Beech B200 accident near Waukegan, Illinois, June 10, 2011
On June 10, 2011 at about 11:30 am local time, a Beech B200, registered N23WS, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Waukegan, Illinois (Waukegan Regional Airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The lightning strike during an en route descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2011 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Waukegan, Illinois · Waukegan Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech B200 · all B200s on the register
- Registration
- N23WS · registry record · serial BB-1143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot began a descent from 16,000 feet and was being vectored for an approach when the airplane was struck by lightning. The airplane continued to perform normally and an uneventful landing was made at the planned destination airport. The pilot noticed the airplane was damaged during a post-flight walk-around. The lightning strike caused minor damage to a propeller blade on the left engine and to the left wing flap. The right elevator was substantially damaged by the lightning strike. The pilot stated they had passed an area of convective activity and were in instrument meteorological conditions with smooth air at the time of the lightning strike.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Lightning › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 23, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,742 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 1, 2011; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: None NONE (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pontiac Flight Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 10:45 am
- Destination: UGN Waukegan IL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 12:49 pm from UGN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.