Investigator In Charge (IIC): Williams, David
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Springfield, Illinois
Location: Hanna City, Illinois
Accident Number: CEN22FA383
Date and Time: August 13, 2022, 12:31 Local
Registration: N30EV
Aircraft: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. M20K
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On August 13, 2022, about 1231 central daylight time, a Mooney M20K airplane, N30EV, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Hanna City, Illinois. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.
The flight departed Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF), Santa Fe, New Mexico, about 0639 mountain standard time, destined for Peoria International Airport (PIA), Peoria, Illinois.
A review of archived Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that after departure, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 15,000 ft for the almost 5-hour flight. The data showed the flight as continuous with no stops. When the airplane was about 28 miles west of PIA, the pilot established communications with air traffic control (ATC) and
reported inbound for PIA with the current weather information. The controller advised the pilot to enter a right downwind leg for runway 22. When the airplane was about 10 miles west of PIA, the pilot informed ATC that the engine lost all power. When queried if they would be able to reach PIA, the pilot stated that they would be unable. ADS-B data showed the airplane appear to line up for IL Route 116. The last recorded data point showed the airplane traveling west and lined up for IL Route 116 at N. Pekin Lane in Hannah City about 675 ft above mean sea level (msl).
Surveillance camera footage captured the airplane about 1 block east of the last data point. In the video, the landing gear was extended and the propeller appeared to be windmilling. As the airplane descended, it struck powerlines which remained embedded in the vertical stabilizer. A second video taken from inside a vehicle shows the airplane immediately after the powerline contact. The airplane continued the descent and touched down on the roadway. After touch down, the left wing impacted a railing and then a speed limit sign. The airplane continued eastbound and the left wing then impacted a power pole, which separated the left wing about 6’9” outboard of the wing root. The rest of the airplane continued until it impacted a building, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.
A postaccident examination revealed that the left-wing fuel tank was breached during the impact and absent of fuel. The right-wing fuel tank remained intact, and when opened, only a small amount of fuel was present inside of the tank. The fuel selector was found to be on “RIGHT TANK.” The fuel strainer contained about 3 oz of fuel and the fuel line into the fuel flow divider was absent of fuel. The fuel flow divider was disassembled and no blockages were observed within the divider or fuel lines that would have prevented fuel from reaching the cylinders. The magnetos were removed and tested utilizing a drill with all leads producing bright blue spark.
A fuel receipt from Jet Center at Santa Fe indicated that 54.2 gallons of fuel was purchased for the accident airplane on August 10, 2022. A review of FAA ADS-B data revealed that following the fuel purchase, the airplane departed SAF and flew one time around the traffic pattern on a flight that lasted about 4 minutes. No additional fuel receipts were located that indicate the airplane was refueled following the flight on August 10th.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP.
Registration: N30EV
Model/Series: M20K
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KPIA, 655 ft msl
Observation Time: 11:54 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 5 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C /17°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 13 knots / , 200°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.07 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Santa Fe, NM (SAF)
Destination: Peoria, IL (PIA)
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries:
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 40.692292,-89.795948
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.
Aircraft experienced engine issues, attempted emergency landing on a highway striking powerlines.
Date: 13-AUG-22
Time: 17:31:00Z
Regis#: N30EV
Aircraft Make: MOONEY
Aircraft Model: M20K
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: FATAL
Total Fatal: 2
Flight Crew: 1 Fatal
Pax: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: APPROACH (APR)
Operation: 91
City: HANNA CITY
State: ILLINOIS
Lisa Kapp Evanson
February 23rd, 1955 - August 13th, 2022
James Evanson
October 13, 1946 - August 13, 2022
James Evanson (75 years) and his wife, business partner, and fellow architect, Lisa Kapp Evanson (67 years), died in a small plane crash near Peoria, Illinois on August 13, 2022.
An artist, architect, and furniture designer working in New York City and Santa Fe, NM, James Evanson was on the forefront of the international "functional art" movement. Since his first showing at Art et Industrie Gallery in New York in 1979, his work was exhibited throughout the world, including: Tokyo, Nagoya, Milan, Hong Kong, and Oslo. Evanson's work has also been shown in museums and galleries throughout the US. His "Lighthouse" lamps received world-wide attention, and his "Lake Dutchess" chair, an interpretation of the classic Adirondack lawn chair, received a Roscoe Best of Seating Award.
Mr. Evanson and his Yale-trained architect wife, Lisa, formed EVANSON STUDIOS, which created high-end residential furniture, interiors, and architecture. They also designed and built numerous houses in Dutchess County in upstate New York. In New York City they designed retail stores, apartment lobbies, and office interiors.
Lisa Evanson managed the custom furniture and apartment design business, which named among its clients Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, the Sony Corporation, The William J. Clinton Foundation, Patricia Hearst, and Edward Albee.
Mr. Evanson lectured at Yale University, Pratt Institute, and Rhode Island School of Design. He was also an instructor at Parson’s School of Design and Art Institute of New York.
Born in Montana, Evanson was a US Army combat helicopter pilot in Vietnam. In 1969, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star for bravery in combat.
He went on to study at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles and at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where he received a degree in architecture.
After 39 years in New York City, with their studio in a landmark building in NoHo, the Evansons relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Upon re-establishing his studio in Santa Fe, Evanson focused on elaborate sculptures in glass, which were shown throughout the US.
He and Lisa designed and built an award-winning home for themselves on a hill overlooking the vast high desert of New Mexico. It was featured in the Santa Fe Parade of Homes.
Jim leaves behind a daughter Pauli, son Arthur, son-in-law Pablo, and grandson Adrian. He is survived by two brothers, Dennis and Paul.
In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations be made to your local NPR station. Jim treasured learning and growth, and NPR's commitment to create a more informed public.
Here is the best link for the crash video:
It clearly shows he did not hit powerlines, but had just touched down, side shifted to the left to avoid hitting cars, hopped a curb yawed to left and the nose caught the building corner. Three (3) feet to the right and it would have been a different story.
Listening to ATC, they directed him to the road and did not warn about the town. Hanna City in in the middle of bean and corn fields that would have been survivable. Very sad.
PEORIA – The single-engine plane that crashed in Hanna City on Saturday had been in the air for nearly five hours, having left Santa Fe, N.M., earlier that day.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are continuing to investigate the accident that killed two people, a pilot and a passenger, on Saturday afternoon. But an initial report from the FAA says the aircraft "experienced engine issues. Attempted emergency landing on highway, striking powerlines."
Killed were James and Lisa Evanson of Santa Fe, said Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood. James Evanson, 75, who was flying the plane, suffered severe and detrimental internal bleeding and multiple broken bones that were not sustainable in the short term, Harwood said.
His wife, Lisa, suffered multiple blunt force trauma injuries that were not consistent with life and she died instantly, the coroner said.
James Evanson was an accomplished artist who specialized in glass sculpture and functional art. Both he and Lisa Evanson were registered architects, according to an Evanson Studios website. A bio on James' website also says he served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, where he earned several honors including the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. FAA records show that the plane was registered to James, who had a commercial aviation license as well as a license for flying helicopters.
The aircraft crashed about 12:30 p.m. Saturday on Illinois Route 116 and stopped outside of Gil's Supper Club. Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said people heard the plane sputtering above KP's Wings and Fries.
The plane navigated between vehicles on the roadway and landed onto Farmington Road, then struck a building on the north side of the road. Both had to be extricated from the plane.
The plane, a Mooney M20K, was built in 1982. The M20 is "one of the most iconic light planes in history," according to Plane & Pilot Magazine, and has been in production for 70 years. The K model is a four-seater and has a 210-horsepower engine, according to Wikipedia.
A statement from the FAA said, "The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide all updates. Neither agency identifies people involved in aircraft accidents."
Eric Weiss, an NTSB spokesman, said his agency will issue a preliminary report in about two weeks, stating what investigators found at the crash site. Several months from now, a full factual report will be issued looking at all aspects of the crash, from the human side of it to the mechanical and environmental sides.
Later, Weiss said, the agency will release a probable-cause report where it will give its assessment on what likely happened. The entire process could take more than a year, he said.
"Our investigators will look at everything involving the pilot, looking at any medical questions: Did they have enough time to rest, were they fatigued on the day of the flight, qualifications and certifications. Then we'll look at the machine itself. We'll get the wreckage and secure it in a local (place) where it's safe so that investigators can still access it. We'll also look at the maintenance records as well," he said.
According to the website Flightaware, which tracks planes, the Mooney M20 made 11 flights from May 28 until it crashed on Saturday. Most of the flights were between two and three hours long and appeared to have the plane making flights to and from stops in Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico and Texas. None of the previous flights appeared to pass through Illinois or near Peoria.
HANNA CITY, Illinois (WMBD) — The single-engine plane crash in Hanna City on Saturday was likely caused by running out of fuel, based on the pilot’s distress call to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The plane crashed into Gil’s Restaurant on Route 116, killing both pilot James Evanson, 75 and his wife and passenger, Lisa Evanson, 67, according to Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood.
In the nine-minute distress call, James told dispatch he had just 10 gallons of fuel left and unable to make it to a nearby airport runway. Instead, he attempted to land the plane on Route 116 in Hanna City.
“We’ve got a highway here I might need to land on it,” James told the dispatcher.
Towards the end of the call, the dispatcher asked James whether he saw any roads to land on, but there was no reply.
The plane dodged two cars before crashing into the restaurant.
“He was trying to save the people on the ground. He was a hell of a pilot… His left wing hit that pole, knocked the wing off and jerked him into the building. Had he missed that pole, he probably would have slid by Gil’s and be ok,” said eyewitness Ron Gulley, co-owner of Coffee Can.
Gulley said he initially thought it was a semi-truck hitting wires.
“There was a big bang. All the power went out, I think the whole town… It’s not everyday you see a plane land on [Route] 116 in the middle of town,” he said.
Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood said James was initially conscious on the scene, but suffered severe internal bleeding and broken bones. Lisa likely died instantly.
The Evansons’ daughter described her father as an avid airplane and helicopter pilot who served two tours in Vietnam.
She was not at all surprised that he was able to maneuver his plane between the cars, a skill she said was due his expertise as a pilot.
The plane, registered to James Evanson, took off from Santa Fe Airport at 7:30 a.m., according to Flight Aware, a website that provides real-time flight tracking data. It crashed in Hanna City at 12:30 p.m.
The crash is under investigation by Illinois State Police and National Transportation Safety Board.
Peoria County Coroner's Office
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Peoria County) Hanna City - On August 13, 2022, at approximately 12:31pm, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office, ISP, Logan-Trivoli Fire Department, Advanced Medical Transport and OSF Healthcare Life Flight Helicopter were called to 12703 W. Farmington Rd for a small aircraft that crashed into a building.
On arrival, witnesses reported that they heard a “sputter” from the small plane as it was descending, eastbound. The plane heroically navigated between vehicles on the roadway and landed onto Farmington Rd, then striking a building on the North side of the road.
One occupant, a male, was initially conscious on scene, however, once extricated from the plane, his condition rapidly declined. Despite aggressive resuscitate efforts, he was pronounced deceased on scene. The second occupant, a female, was unconscious and not breathing on initial assessment; she was pronounced deceased following aggressive resuscitative efforts. Both occupants had to extricated from the plane. It is unknown at this time whether they were restrained in the plane.
Our office is actively trying to locate next-of-kin. Autopsies on the said deceased are scheduled for Monday. The NTSB and ISP are investigating.
Two people died Saturday when a single-engine aircraft crashed on a stretch of Route 116 in Hanna City.
The victims in the plane crash, one man and one woman, have not been identified. Coroner Jamie Harwood said autopsies would be completed Monday.
The plane was a Mooney M20K, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the accident.
The aircraft crashed about 12:30 p.m. Saturday and stopped outside of Gil's Supper Club. Harwood said the plane hit multiple buildings, and people heard the plane sputtering above KP's Wings and Fries.
Ashlyn Barker, a KP's employee, said she was taking an order over the phone, and the restaurant had a line full of people Saturday afternoon. Then suddenly, the lights turned off and the phone disconnected. Her mother called to check on her, and Barker asked what had happened. Her mother told her a plane had crashed.
"I was like, 'Wow.' So we all went out there and saw it," Barker said. "And then we saw all of the cops and the ambulances, and then we had to get back to work."
Firefighters and law enforcement were on the scene, closing a stretch of Route 116. Crews had been working on clearing debris from the streets.
Authorities will notify the public once the road is reopened, according to Kris Keyes, the emergency communications center supervisor.
This was so unnecessary, judging by the 9 minute distress call they made, during which time they were passing a municipal airport (about 20 miles back) at which they could have landed, and also plenty of fields. R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteThe aircraft crashes are getting more insane each day.
DeleteIt's okay. We're all human.
DeleteInsane? I dunno, Tenerife was pretty insane (two 747s collided, 583 dead) and that was in 1977. A fuel starvation accident is fairly routine by comparison.
Delete