Amateur-built Christen Eagle accident near Wheeling, Illinois, June 17, 2005
On June 17, 2005 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Christen Eagle, registered N92RK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwaukee Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance, which resulted in the airplane drifting during the landing flare and impacting the taxiway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2005 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwaukee Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Christen Eagle
- Registration
- N92RK · registry record · serial 0391
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a taxiway light during a go-around. The pilot reported that during the landing flare the airplane "caught gust of wind [and] we were moved to the right." The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was not on the runway centerline and "decided to make a go-around, but little too late and caught a landing light." The pilot continued the go-around and made an uneventful landing. Wind data recorded at 1353 indicated the wind was 050 degrees magnetic at 10 knots. No wind gusts were reported during the hour before and after the accident.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 360 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2004; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C09 Morris IL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: PWK Wheeling IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,660 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from PWK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CHI05CA151.