Accident
A private, instrument-rated pilot crashed an aircraft in an open field after departing from a fixed base operator. Before takeoff, an employee reported that the pilot said, "I'm going up to do a cloud check." The airplane was found with wings level attitude. The wreckage came to rest 210 feet from the point of initial impact, facing opposite the direction of travel. The property owner where the aircraft crashed described the sound: "The motor was really buzzing, and it sounded like an explosion when it hit."
Weather
A flight instructor who had been practicing for a Part 135 flight check landed five minutes before the pilot took off. The instructor reported the ceiling was 700 feet overcast. There was also light rain and fog in the vicinity. There was no record that the pilot received a weather briefing from the Kankakee Automated Flight Service Station.
Investigation
An examination of the wreckage did not reveal any malfunction of the engine or airframe. The investigation did not identify a specific cause for the crash.