No fatalities

1968-02-23: Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor (N9943Z) — Executive Airlines - 1968 (USA) — Chicago-O'Hare, United States of America

Chicago-O'Hare, United States of AmericaLanding (descent or approach)

On February 23, 1968, a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor (registration N9943Z) operated by Executive Airlines - 1968 (USA) was involved in an aviation accident near Chicago-O'Hare, United States of America during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate separation from a preceding jet aircraft resulted in encountering wake turbulence that caused a loss of control. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781239058Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed short of the runway threshold following a loss of control during its final approach, resulting in one injury and total hull loss.

What happened

During the landing phase of the flight, the aircraft was positioned correctly on the glide path toward the destination. However, while maintaining this alignment, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of control over the aircraft type. This instability led to a crash occurring several miles before reaching the runway threshold.

As a result of the impact, the aircraft was completely destroyed. The incident resulted in one injury sustained by the pilot, with no other fatalities reported.

Findings

Investigations into the accident determined that the primary factor was the presence of wake turbulence. Specifically, the loss of control was triggered by a vortex generated by a preceding jet aircraft that had landed at the same airport. The findings indicate that the pilot failed to maintain sufficient separation distance from the landing jet, leaving the aircraft vulnerable to the aerodynamic disturbances left in its wake.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate separation from a preceding jet aircraft resulted in encountering wake turbulence that caused a loss of control.