Hawker Beechcraft CORP 390 accident near Wheeling, Illinois, December 10, 2015
On December 10, 2015 at about 11:05 pm local time, a 2008 Hawker Beechcraft CORP 390, registered N50VM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Wheeling, Illinois (Chicago Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots' decision to conduct an approach and landing in gusting wind conditions, and their failure to maintain control of the airplane during the first approach, which resulted in a wing strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2015 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wheeling, Illinois · Chicago Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hawker Beechcraft CORP 390 NO SERIES, built 2008 · all 390s on the register
- Registration
- N50VM · registry record · serial RB-229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first pilot, who was the owner of the light jet and had recently received a type rating in the airplane, was acting as pilot-in-command for the flight and was seated in the left seat. A second pilot, who was also type-rated and experienced in the airplane make and model and was accompanying the first pilot as a mentor, was seated in the right seat and handled radio communications throughout the flight. As they neared the destination airport for an approach to runway 16, the pilots received the most recent weather information, which included wind from 250 degrees at 16 knots (kts) with gusts to 29 kts. Shortly thereafter, another pilot on the frequency reported wind gusts of 50 kts upon landing. The first pilot expressed concern about landing in such windy conditions, but the second pilot encouraged him to continue. About 45 ft above the runway, the airplane experienced a strong gust of wind; the left wing impacted the ground, and the second pilot initiated a go-around. The second pilot then reconfigured the airplane for a landing on runway 30; the aural "wind shear" warning was sounding throughout the approach. Upon touchdown, the airplane's right main landing gear exited the runway surface and impacted the raised curb between the grass and taxiway surface. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident airplane anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The maximum demonstrated crosswind component of the airplane was 25 kts. Given the reported wind conditions about the time of the accident, the crosswind component was at least 16 to 29 kts during the first landing attempt, and may have been greater based on the pilot report of gusts. Thus, the pilots should not have attempted the landing, because the gusts had the potential to exceed the airplane's maximum demonstrated crosswind component.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during approach
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Windshear or thunderstorm during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Copilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Copilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,330 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 1,022 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 25, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 1,250 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 2, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,414.3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 2015; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Williams FJ44-2A (turbofan); 2,273 hours total
- Engine 2: Williams FJ44-2A (turbofan); 2,414 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLM Belmar/Farmingdale NJ at 8:45 pm
- Destination: PWK Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 250° at 16 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.51 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from KPWK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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 GAA16LA086.