Cessna 340A accident near Waukegan, Illinois, May 8, 1996
On May 8, 1996 at about 10:09 am local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N225BA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waukegan, Illinois (Waukegan Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inability to maintain visual contact with the runway environment due to 'flash blindness' when he turned on the airplane's landing light, and his subsequent inability to regain control of the airplane after turning off the landing light due to his loss of night vision. A factor was the bright light condition encountered by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1996 · about 10:09 am local time
- Place
- Waukegan, Illinois · Waukegan Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N225BA · registry record · serial 340A1029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was being vectored for an ILS approach when he activated the runway edge lighting. He said he saw the lights as he was being vectored to the final approach course. While on final approach he extended the landing gear and illuminated the landing lights. The lights caused a cockpit glare and he turned them off. As the airplane was passing through 500 feet above ground, he turned the landing lights on a second time. He said he saw a big glow and turned the lights off a second time. After he did this he said he saw nothing. The airplane collided with the ground and MASLR light stand. It was found about 1 hour and 15 minutes after the ground collision. A searcher said the visibility was about 400 feet. The pilot said he was aware of a NOTAM about the inoperative VASI, REIL, and Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System and Runway Alignment Indicator (MASLR). An FAA CAMI optometrist was told the circumstance's surrounding the accident. He said what the pilot experienced was a '...classic case of flash blindness.' Information he provided showed the pilot would have a blind gap in his visual field under circumstances he encountered.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 21,925 hours in all; 822 in this make and model; 18,823 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,285 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1996; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520NB2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DPA West Chicago IL at 10:00 am
- Destination: UGN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from PWK, 19 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.
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.