Beech S35 accident near Lake In The Hills, Illinois, May 3, 2012
On May 3, 2012 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N176Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Lake In The Hills, Illinois. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive bank angle while on approach to land, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall and spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2012 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lake In The Hills, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N176Q · registry record · serial D-7427
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot and a flight instructor were in the traffic pattern conducting touch-and-go takeoffs and landings on runway 26. A witness reported seeing the airplane in a steep bank as it turned from the base leg of the traffic pattern to the final approach leg. The ground scars and damage to the airplane were consistent with an aerodynamic stall/spin at the time of impact. The wind at the time of the accident was reported from 220 degrees between 11 and 22 knots. The wind encountered on the left base turn to final could result in overshooting the final approach path. Most likely, the pilot was attempting to compensate for overshooting the final approach path and increased the bank angle to bring the airplane back on course. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. Investigators were unable to determine who was flying the airplane at the time of the accident; however, the commercial pilot did not hold a current medical certificate and thus was ineligible to have been acting as pilot-in-command.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,077 hours in all
- Last flight review: April 5, 2011
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,785 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,067 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-BB-(6) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lake In The Hills IL
- Destination: Lake In The Hills IL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from KDPA, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12FA271.