Beech C23 accident near Lake In The Hil, Illinois, April 17, 2004
On April 17, 2004 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N6715X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake In The Hil, Illinois. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The dual student pilot not maintaining airplane control during the go-around and the flight instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action resulting in the airplane's uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2004 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lake In The Hil, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6715X · registry record · serial M-2260
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain when the airplane exited the runway during an aborted landing. The instructor reported, "The aircraft turned final and flew a slightly low and fast approach to the runway. The aircraft touched down flat on the runway and because of the excess speed the aircraft bounced into the air a considerable amount. At this point the landing was aborted. As the power was advanced the aircraft began a left turn and drifted off the runway. At this point the instructor called for complete control of the aircraft and returned to wings level pitch attitude; however, despite the application of full power the aircraft refused to climb and touched down right main first on the grass to the north side of the runway. The aircraft then swung nose right shearing off the nose gear and left main gear causing the propeller to strike the ground." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions associated with the airplane in reference to the flight. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the flight controls were operational and correct and that the engine controls were operational.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 502 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 352 as pilot in command; 120 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 26, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWK Chicago/Prospec IL at 12:20 pm
- Destination: Lake In The Hil IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PWK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N6715X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CHI04CA095.