Amateur-built VENTURE accident near Wheeling, Illinois, October 18, 1994
On October 18, 1994 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VENTURE, registered N62V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheeling, Illinois (Palwaukee Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE RUDDER PEDAL PIVOT POINT HEIGHT ABOVE THE COCKPIT FLOOR BY THE DESIGN PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1994 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Palwaukee Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VENTURE
- Registration
- N62V · registry record · serial 102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS LANDING IN A LIGHT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE UPWIND LANDING GEAR TIRE FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE DOWNWIND MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRE. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE NOSE GEAR TIRE TOUCHED DOWN AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT VERY RAPIDLY ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY EDGE, ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOD AND CARTWHEELED TO THE LEFT. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STEERING AND BRAKES ARE HYDRAULICALLY ACTIVATED. IF THE BALL OF THE FOOT IS ABOVE THE RUDDER PEDALS PIVOT POINT THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING IS ACTIVATED AND PRE-LOADS THE SYSTEM. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSEWHEEL'S CENTERING DEVICE IS DEACTIVATED. THE PRE-LOADED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE IN THE STEERING SYSTEM WILL MAKE THE NOSEWHEEL TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PEDAL THAT APPLIED HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE SYSTEM.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 374 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 304 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Venture M-20 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Questair, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,137 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:30 pm from PWK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N62V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.