Accident Sequence
On August 27, 2008, about 1900 central daylight time, a Beech C23, N6664N, operated by The Flight Center Inc. as a rental/instructional airplane, received substantial damage during a hard landing on runway 09 (3,274 feet by 40 feet, asphalt) at Campbell Airport (C81), near Grayslake, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was not operating on a flight plan. The certified flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The flight originated from Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) about 1600.
The flight instructor stated that they performed several maneuvers over the Chain of Lakes and flew to C81 to perform takeoffs and landings, which were discussed before the flight. The student pilot performed two landings before attempting a third. The first two touchdowns were described as smooth. On the base leg of the third approach, the student pilot maintained about 700 feet above ground level and was not descending. The flight instructor told him to increase descent angle. The student pilot reduced engine power and selected full flaps. The airplane was on extended centerline but descending too fast. The flight instructor repeatedly told the student to check the vertical speed indicator. The student pilot reported no sun glare and that it was getting dark, but he did not see runway lights. He stated he knew he maintained proper speed and altitude because the flight instructor did not complain. Before landing, the student pilot reduced engine power to idle. He pulled too far back on the yoke, causing the airplane to slow too much and drop. The flight instructor said "power power," and the airplane hit hard, bounced, and banked to the right. Within several seconds, the airplane slowed and impacted the runway. The flight instructor then applied full engine power and performed an aborted landing; the airplane did not touch down a second time. Damage included wing spar damage.
The accident was discovered by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors on August 29, 2008, during a base inspection of the operator due to an unrelated complaint. During that inspection, the president of The Flight Center Inc. told inspectors of the accident.
Aircraft Information
The 1983 Beech C-23, N6664N, serial number M2386, underwent its last maintenance inspection during a 100-hour inspection on July 7, 2008, at a tachometer time of 5,240.1 hours and a Hobbs meter time of 5,992.6 hours. The airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4K engine. The airplane had previously been involved in a propeller strike during a student solo flight in the previous fall or winter of 2008. The propeller was changed, and the airplane was flown under a ferry permit to PWK. On April 7, 2008, the engine was disassembled and rebuilt per the manufacturer's overhaul manual at a tachometer time of 5,136.6 hours.
Personnel Information
The student pilot accumulated a total flight time of 31.4 hours, all in Beech C23 airplanes. His first logbook entry was dated October 24, 2007. He had not performed a solo flight or taken the private pilot written exam at the time of the accident.
The flight instructor accumulated a total flight time of 1,480 hours, of which 133.4 hours were as an instructor and 24.2 hours as an instructor in Beech C-23 airplanes. He was issued a flight instructor certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating on June 11, 2008, after a previous failure. He received approximately 1 hour of flight training by the operator when hired, conducted in a Beech 23.
Operator Information
The Flight Center Inc. operated under 14 CFR Part 91, providing flight training and aircraft rental. The operator did not hold a pilot school certificate under Part 141 or an air carrier operating certificate. The FAA aircraft registry listed 12 airplanes registered to the operator, with 6 reportedly in use. The operator had multiple assumed business names, including AAA Flight Training, Meigs Flight School, and Chicago Executive Flight School.