Event CHI85FA031

Factual narrative

A PVT PLT INVITED A CFI TO ACCOMPANY THE X-COUNTRY FLT BECAUSE HE WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED AND MARGINAL WX WAS FORECAST. ON RETURN TRIP FROM ATLANTA THE CFI FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN. DURING THE FLT, THE RT FUEL TANK WAS RUN DRY. UPON REACHING THE CHICAGO AREA, THE FLT WAS CLEARED DIRECT JOLIET, DIRECT DUPAGE, AND DESCEND TO 4000 FT. THE PVT PLT STATED THE CFI RELINQUISHED CONROL OF TE ACFT AFTER STATING, 'I HAVE A SEVERE CASE OF VERTIGO.' PVT PLT STATED HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE REQUESTED A LANDING AT JOLIET BECAUSE OF LOW FUEL. THE FLT WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO JOLIET AFTER TE PVT PLT STATED HE COULD NOT FLY AN INSTRUMENT APCH. ARTCC INFORMED THE FLT THEY WERE 'RIGHT OVER THE AIRPORT' HOWEVER, THE PVT PLT STATED THEY NEVER LOCATED IT. HE CONTINUED THAT AFTER DESCENDING TO GROUND CONTACT ALT, THE ENG QUIT AND HE BEGAN LINING UP TO LAND ON A HWY AT WHICH TIME THE CFI 'GRABBED THE YOKE AND PUTUS INTO A STEEP TURN TO THE LEFT RIGHT INTO A GROVE OF TREES.' THE CFI WAS FATALLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12