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CHI92LA048

1991-12-10 · RENSSELAER, Indiana, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport RZL

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRCRAFT HANDLING WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND DESCENT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE OBSCURATION & ICING CONDITIONS.

Factual narrative

THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 36 APPROXIMATELY 0545 HOURS. ABOUT 3/4 MILE NORTH AND SLIGHTLY EAST OF THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTERLINE, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND GROUND FIRE ENSUED. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THROUGH TREES, ACROSS A SET OF RAILROAD TRACKS, BEFORE IT CAME TO A REST IN AN OPEN FIELD POINTING IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION. STATE POLICE DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS 'FOGGY, HAZY...WITH NO CEILING. VISIBILITY IN IMMEDIATE AREA WAS GIVEN AS 1/8 TO 1/4 MILE. ICE AND FROST WAS READILY FORMING ON PATROL CAR ANTENNAE...' THE POLICE REPORT INDICATES 'THE AIRPLANE SURFACE WAS COVERED WITH FROST...(WHICH) WAS PRIMARILY GONE...BEFORE...PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE SCENE.' TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE REPORTED AS 26 DEGREES. THE PILOT HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI92LA048.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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