What happened
During a flight departing from the Chicago-Merrill C. Meigs airport, an aircraft experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines while in the climbing phase of flight. Following the engine failures, the pilot was unable to maintain control of the aircraft type, which subsequently entered a stall. The plane descended into Lake Michigan, resulting in the total destruction of the aircraft. There was one fatality involving the pilot, who was the only person on board at the time of the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the primary reason for the dual engine failure was fuel exhaustion. The investigation revealed that the amount of fuel remaining in each wing tank was less than two gallons. Several contributing factors were identified, including insufficient preflight preparations and the mismanagement of fuel levels. As the aircraft impacted the water, the right wing made contact first, causing the plane to cartwheel before coming to a rest.