What happened
The incident began near Goshen, Indiana, roughly 100 miles from Chicago, when the left engine experienced a significant drop in oil pressure. The pressure initially rose to 90 lbs before falling below 50 lbs. At an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet, the pilot climbed to 4,000 feet using both engines and then throttled back the affected left engine. The aircraft continued climbing to 4,700 feet on the right engine alone. After reporting the issue to Columbus air traffic control, the pilot was offered the option to divert to South Bend, Indiana. However, due to a lack of direct radio communication with South Bend and inferior lighting conditions compared to Chicago, the pilot elected to continue toward the destination.
Upon reaching the vicinity of Chicago Municipal Airport, the left engine had been stopped and its fuel valve shut off to conserve fuel, while the right propeller was set to high pitch. The pilot requested and received clearance from the control tower, being granted priority over other traffic. Surface winds were recorded at eight miles per hour, but recent thunderstorm activity caused gusts reaching 34 miles per hour at an altitude of 2,000 feet.
During the approach at approximately 2,000 feet, the pilot lowered the wing flaps and undercarriage, reducing airspeed to about 80 miles per hour. The winds proved significantly stronger than anticipated, causing the aircraft to lose altitude rapidly. Attempts to correct the situation using the single engine resulted in an uncontrolled left turn, as full control inputs were ineffective at the reduced speed. Before the pilot could raise the flaps and undercarriage or restart the left engine, it became clear that reaching the runway was impossible. The pilot turned south toward an open area, but the right wing struck a tree, causing the aircraft to collide with a house before impacting the ground. The aircraft was destroyed, and all occupants sustained injuries.
Findings
The Bureau of Air Commerce determined that the primary factor was poor judgment by the pilot for failing to restart the left engine prior to the approach, which would have provided an emergency power source. Additionally, the pilot reduced airspeed below the safe minimum required for single-engine performance. Contributory factors included the unexplained drop in oil pressure and the unexpected strong winds encountered during the landing phase.