Amateur-built Christen Eagle II accident near Kaneville, Illinois, August 10, 2002
On August 10, 2002 at about 1:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Christen Eagle II, registered N96CG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kaneville, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to an engine bearing failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2002 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kaneville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Christen Eagle II
- Registration
- N96CG · registry record · serial Dascomb 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported a loss of oil pressure to the control tower shortly after departure. The airplane was established in cruise flight at 3,000 feet msl, approximately 12 miles north of the airport. The pilot reversed heading in order to return to the departure airport for a precautionary landing. Prior to reaching the airport, the pilot reported a partial loss of engine power and declared an emergency. He selected an off-airport landing site, however prior to executing an emergency landing, the cockpit filled with smoke. At this time the pilot and pilot-rated passenger elected to bail out. The airplane impacted a bean field five miles north of the airport. The pilot and passenger landed nearby and sustained minor injuries. A post-accident engine examination noted wear consistent with oil starvation at the aft (#4) connecting rod bearing journal. The bearing itself was not present. The oil sump contained a significant number of metal fragments. The remaining connecting rod bearings, as well as the crankcase main bearings, exhibited normal wear indications and no evidence of oil starvation. The engine oil pump was found to be undamaged and rotated freely. The pilot stated that the oil quantity was checked during the preflight inspection. The oil filler cap was found secured to the engine during the post-accident examination.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,045 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 997 as pilot in command; 220 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 835 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 2002; 154 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Chicago/Aurora IL
- Destination: 10C Greenwood/Wonde IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from ARR, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 CHI02FA243.